Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

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

Page 61

2.
Traverses on less trodden path...
respects. Kundakunda's distinction is applicable to only supreme self and empirical self. He believes in plurality of souls which are reals. According to him, materlal and non-material objects of the world have their own independent oxistence. World is not dismissed as unreal entity. Six substances are regarded as permanent entities. Mabāyānists believe that there is no difference between phenomenal and noumenal, 111 the universe viewed as a whole is the Absolute, viewed as a process it is the phenomenal world 112 According to Sankara the world is not real ultimately. (but real for all practical purposes), it has no independent existence of its own. For realized soul the world does not exist. Sankara is an advocate of non-dualism. For him self is non-dual and ultimately there is so difference between Jiva and Brahman.
It is important to note that some scholars have pointed out that Sankara has copied the conception of Vyāvahārika and pāramarthika orders of reality from Buddbism. Some others think that Sankara took suggestion from the earlier-Jain thinkers, especially from Kundakunda. But our observation clearly proves that, this conception of transcendental and einpirical, lower and higher, is common to Upanişadic thought, Jainism, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta. At the present state of our knowledge, instead of saying that Sankara has copied it either from Buddhism or Jainism, it would be more appropriate to say that this idea is common to Vedāntic and non-Vedantic schools of thought.
vä.
So pratitya anupadaya nirvāṇam
111. Ya ajavam javibhāva upādāyapratitya
upadesyato-M, K, XXII-9.
ABBREVIATIONS (Used in the Notes)
Bțb. Up. - Bșhadāraṇyaka Upanişat Cha. Up - Chaodogya Upanişat Is Up. - Išāvāsyopanişat Kach. Up. - Kathopadişat M. K. - Madhyamikakirika M. S. A. - Mabayänasetralankara S. B. - Sankarabhasya (Brahmasutra). S.S. - Samayasara Tait. Up - Taittiriya Upanijat T, M. S.- Trimgika