Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

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

Page 139

130
Traverses on less trodden path...
out against the Hinayânists that merely realising pudgalanairatmya, removing klesavarana is not sufficient for the attainment of Nirvana; the realisation of dharmanairatmya i.e, the removal of jñeyavarana is equally important. Asanga clearly points out the Mahayana is superior to Hinayana because it penetrates into both pudgalanairätmya and dharmanairaatmya-realisation of the two forms of non-substantiality. 15
Nirvana is the asrayaparavṛtti, i.e., retracting of alaya from its forward movement. Asraya (alaya) is the support of the entire phenomental world. Asraya is abhuta parikalpa which projects contents where they are not. 16 Alaya, impelled by the ignorance, goes on creating forms of subject-objcct duality and phenomenal things. Influence of ignorance is so powerful that consciousness, influenced by this illusion loses its equanimity. It becomes defiled. It begins to project contents where they are not. This is bondage. It is caused by the false notion of the being something external and real. Owing to this wrong conception, pure consciousness becomes infected by subject-object duality. This is samsara. It is due to ignorance. When this ignorance, which is the governing power of the forward movement of asraya is destroyed, consciousness becomes free from influence of ignorance and will not be affected by the empirical objects. Destruction of ignorance which is the main cause for creating the forms of phenomenal objects, is asraya paravṛiti, withdrawing asraya from its forward movement. Asrayaparavṛtti, therefore, means, disappearance of the subject-object duality, the unreal objects and realisation of pure consciousness. It is 1ealisation of non-dual reality removing subject-object duality. This is nirvana or mokşa. It is nothing else but seeing reality as it is. 18 This is realisation of Thatness-tathata, one's own true nature.
Ignorance is the root cause of defilement of consciousness. Nirvana is nothing else but purification of this defiled consciousness, destroying all sorts of coverings. Asanga, being an obsolutist declares that mokşa or liberation is nothing but only removal or dissolution of ignorance. 19 Ignorance screens the absolute or nirvana as the clouds hide the Sun and his rays. The sole Reality or pure consciousness is defiled by ignorance i.e. believing in existence of self and existence of external world. On account of ignorance people of the world nourish belief in the existence of the self or ego. This ego is the root cause of desires. These desires are the main causes of sorrow and suffering. If there is no desire, there is no
15. MSA: IXX-59.
16. Chattergee, A. K., The Yogacara Idealism, 2nd ed., Motilal Banarasidas, Delhi, 1975, p. 159.
17. asrayaparavṛttiḥ mokṣosau. MSA. XIX-54.