Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

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

Page 42

DOCTRINE OF DEGREES OF REALITY IN JAINISM,
BUDDHISM AND VEDANTA
The doctrine of degrees or orders of Reality is one of the most important problems in the history of world thought. The distinction bet. ween the Transcendental and Empirical, Noumenal and Phenomenal truths
1 tbat it has always been maintained in some form or other by all the great philosophical thinkers of the world. We find, in the east, these two distinctions in the early Upanisads, Jainism, Buddhism and also in Advaita Vedanta; so in the west in the writings of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, Kant, Hegel and F. H. Bradley, 1
The Upanișadic two paths-śreyas and Preyas (Good and pleasurable), Para and Apara Vidya (higher and lower khowledge), Amūrta and Mürta Brahman (Brahman-formless and having form), Jainas Paramartha and Vyavahara or Niscayanaya and Vyavaharanaya, Paramartha and Samuti of the Madhyamikas, Parinişpanna and Paratantra of the Vi nanavādins, Paramarthika and Vyavaharika of Advaita Vedāntins etc.; stand for these two, transcendental and empirical orders of Reality.
Upanişadic view :
Upanişads are termed as Himalayas of Indian philosophy. Just as different rivers, which having their origin in the Himalayas, flow in different directions, similarly all the schools of Indian thought have their roots in and are influenced by Upaniladic Philosophy. The seeds of alı all the systems of indian philosophy are to be found in the early Upanisods, The distinction between, empirical and transcendental orders of Roality, adopted by later thinkers of Jainism, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, is to be found in the early Upanişads.
Katha Upanisad teaches us that there are two paths opened to a person, Śreyas and Preyas (good and pleasurable). Wise men choose the path of Good wbich leads to the Supreme Self. The path of pleasure is related to worldly life and enjoyment. Fools choose the path of pleasure 1 Socrates's the World and Form, Plato's the Sepse ard the Idea, Aristotle's the Matter
and the Mover, the Modes and Suhstance of Spinoza, the Phenomenal and Noumenal of Kant, the illusion and the Absolute of Hegel; Anpearance and Reality of Bradley's, stand far these two distinctions.-Critical survey of Iodian Philosophy, Fage. 59. T-$