Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 113

104
Traverses on less trodden path... dawns, we realise that we are no more tioite things but absolute suchness. This is the self existent, immortal Reality, Calm and Blissful, which must be realised 8
This absolutistic way of thinking of Ašvaghosa, remarkably influenced the later thinkers of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Inspired by the utterness of Ašvaghoşa, some of the Mabāyānists emphasised the negative aspect and other positive and therby established their own schools of thought within the Mahāvāna school, known as Sünyavāda (Madhyamika) and Vijñānavada (Yogācāra) respectively.
Nāgārjuna (2nd A.D.) is a systematic expounder of Sünyavada (Madhyamika) Buddhism. He refuted the Hinayānists on the basis of of dialectics, Hirayānist denied only Fudgala (existence of self) but accepted the substantiality of dharmas (elements). For them dharmas exist objectively and independently. For Nagarjuna there is nothing which exists obsolutely and objectively. Everything that exists is relative, dependent and thus, unreal. Dharmas of the Hinayāpists are subiective and unreal, Nāgārjuna argues that if a thing were objective and real, it would be able to exist by itself, it must not be in need of being understood through something else.. But nothing is found in thought which is not relative, everything is relative to everything else. Relativity is the mark of the unreal, of the subject. For Nāgārjuna, our entire expesience is purely subjective: things have only an apparent existence (samurti) in reality. They are imaginary and unreal, Entire phenomenal world is unreal. He interpretes pralityasamutpada (Dependent origination) in terms of relativity and proves the dependent unreal nature of all elements. He says that there is no real independent existence of entities (prat yaya), 10 since, there is no elements of existence (dharma) which comes into manifestation without conditions, therefore there is no dharma which is not Sünya ic. devoid of real independent existence.11 Thus Phenomenal objects are unreal. The ground of phenomena can never be met within reason as reason by its very nature leads to insoluble antinomies. He, thus, comes 10 the conclusion that the Absolute Reality is Sūnya. It is Šunya in the sense that it is transcendent to thought, it is indescribable, non-determipate and non-dual (advayam tattvam). It is neither subject nor object. It is free from this duality. Subject-object duality indicates relativity and whatever is relative, dependent is unreal. He adopts more negative approach and says that this Reality is indescribable and it cannot even be equated with pure consciousness. 8. Śäntar sivam kşaumapadam acyutam țat. Saundarananda, verse 26-27. 9. Madhyamaka-kārinā (M.K.)-X-10. . 10. Na hi svabhūvo bhāvānām pratyayādişu vidyate.--M.K.-1-5. 11. Apratitya samutpanno dharmo kaścana vidyate.
Yasmāt tasmät aśünyo hi dbarmo kascana vidy ate.--M.K, XXIV-9.