Book Title: Theory of Karman in Indian Thought
Author(s): Koshelya Walli
Publisher: Bharat Manisha

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Page 313
________________ [ 301 1 not possible for an ordinary person to become a world teacher or Buddha even if he is awakened and is perfectly entitled to the realization of Nirvăņa. A Śrāvaka of the old school who has realized the pudgala nairātmya or non-entity of the ego can aspire after nirvana in due course of time which will enable him to become free for ever from the evils of the mundane existence but even though he may be deserving nirvāṇa and may attain to it, he cannot be a teacher of the world and it is for this reason that in the later path i.e. Mahāyāna it is urged that one has to become a Bodhisattva and has to pass through stages of perfection in order that he may be able in the last or tenth stage to become worthy of becoming a world teacher or Buddha. Qualifications for nirvana are not exactly identical with the qualifications for becoming a teacher. In the language of the Buddhists, Prajña as well as Karunā have to be cultivated. And even in Prajñā, the old Stutacintabhavanamayi Prajñā of the Hinayana has to be replaced by Bhumipravişta Prajñā in the Mahāyāna. This also shows that even if one is entitled to be perfectly liberated, he is not considered qualified for Teacheship. This is practically the same in spirit as in Vedantism. In Jainism also we find practically the same position. In the course of fourteen Gupasthānas, one finds the place of world-Teacher or Tírthankara in the thirteenth and the fourteenth Gupasthāna is intended to represent highest perfection or Siddhi. It is worth noting that every competent soul if it is duly qualified may aspire after perfection or Siddhi but any and every soul cannot have the ambition of becoming a world teacher. There are certain inherent properties which are needed for the life of a world teacher but these may not be necessary in the case of an aspirant after perfection or Siddhi.' In the Patañjala Yogadarśana also, we have a similar view in regard to vivekajñāna and vivekajajñāna. Vivekajñána is needed for Kaivalya and every human soul if sufficiently qualified may aspire after it but Vivekajajñāna is a different qualification which is nct needed for Kaivalya but which accounts for perfect knowledge and lordship

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