Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

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

Page 79

Traverses on less trodden path...
Mimāmsakas will not object because they hold that though knowledge is one still indirect knowledge is different from direct knowledge. Kumarila Bhatta, who claims that reality is both universal and particular, identity-cum-difference, upholds the Anekantavāda. Even Advaita Vedantins cannot refute Anekanta because for them Atman is bound as well as unbound. From the phenomenal point of view, Atman is bound and Atman is unbound, ever free, from the transcendental point of view. The Vedas upholding the different meanings of Mantras would not have any complaint against Anekantavāda. In this way, Yagovijaya tried to show all pervasiveness of Anekanta doctrine.17 He mentions that Materialists (Carvākas) approval or disapproval of Anekanta is not worth considering because, they are too ignorant about metaphysical problems. 18
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Yagovijaya points out that, both absolute eternalism and absolute non-eternalism, are untenable because of their one-sidedness. If Atman is exclusively eternal, the experience of happiness and misery will thereby be rendered impossible. Eternal (nitya) means unchangable. Unless Atman could pass from one state to another, there cannot be experiences of happiness and misery, one after another. Even injury and non-injury, merit and demerit etc., are not possible, if Atman is taken to be absolutely eternal. Similarly if Atman is absolutely non-eternal (anitya, then, merits and demerits, bondage and liberation become meaningless. Absolute non-eternality means an end of the law of retribution which requires personal identity of doer and enjoyer. So, both these views suffer from one-sidedness and the truth is that Atman is neither absolutely real nor absolutely unreal or changing, but real as well as unreal, eternal as well as non-eternal. Atman is eternal, never changing, from the point of view of substance and it is ever changing, non-eternal from the point of view of modifications. Viewed from the transcendental stand-point it is un-chained but viewed from the phenomenal point of view it is chained. It is one from the stand-point of atmatva, it is many from the point of view of Samsara. This is a proper approach to everything which gives
17 Icchan pradhanam sattvädyairviruddhairgumphitam gunaiḥ, Sankhyaḥ sankhyāvatām mukhyo nanekāntam pratikṣipet. Vijñānasyaikamākāram nănāk ārakarambhitam. Icchan täthāgataḥ prajño nänekäntam pratiksipet. Citramekamanekam ca rūpam prämāņikam vadan. Yogo vaiseṣika väpi nänekāntam pratikṣipet. Pratyaksam mitimatramse meyamśetadvilaksanam. Gururjñānam vadannekam nänekätam pratikşipet. Jativyaktyätmakam vastu vadannanubhavocitam. Bhatto väpi murārirvā nänekäntam pratikṣipet. Abaddham paramarthena baddham ca vyavahārataḥ. Bruvano brahmavedanti nänekäntam pratikṣipet. Bruvaṇa bhinna bhennarthāṇnayabhedavyapekṣaya. Pratikṣpeyurno vedah syadvādam sarvatäntrikam. A.P. 1-45-51. 18. A.P. 1-52.