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YASASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
Asuri explains that Prakṛti contaminates the Self, even though composed of bliss, like a piece of crystal, with such manifestations as intellect, egoism and the like, which bring in their train pleasure, pain and illusion. When the Self comes to realise the nature of Prakṛti, its connection with the latter, comparable to that of fire with an iron ball, comes to an end; and the Self attains Kaivalya which means the cessation of all connection with knowledge and objects of knowledge.1 Asuri then declares that since salvation results simply from discrimination between Prakṛti and the Self, it is useless to perform religious austerities; and one should therefore eat, drink, and be merry, and follow ones' inclination:
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अनुभवत पिबत खादत विलसत मानयत कामितं लोकाः । आत्मव्यक्तिविवेकान्मुक्तिर्ननु किं वृथा तपत ॥
This looks like a satire on the Samkhya theory of salvation, but similar views are expressed in an authoritative text like the Matharavṛtti on the Samkhyakarikās (37), where it is stated that, according to Kapila, a man has no prescribed duties; and final beatitude results solely from the knowledge of the twentyfive principles recognised by the Samkhya system. The Matharavṛtti then quotes a verse very similar to that put in the mouth of Asuri: हस पिब लल मोद नित्यं विषयानुपभुञ्ज कुरु च मा शङ्काम् । यदि विदितं ते कपिलमतं तत्प्राप्स्यसे मोक्षसौख्यं च ॥ Sudatta criticizes some of the Samkhya tenets in his reply to Asuri. If, as the Samkhyas hold, bondage and salvation, pleasure and pain, and activity and retirement belong to Prakṛti, what is the use of postulating the existence of a Self? Further, the Samkhya doctrine involves a number of self-contradictions. The Self never acts, yet it enjoys the fruits of action; it is devoid of action, yet adopts an attitude of indifference; it is eternal, yet comes into temporary association with Prakyti; it is bound up with Prakṛti, yet separates itself from the latter; it is pure, yet it is connected with the impure body; and it is called bliss, though it has no attributes. Besides, if the Self is eternal and without any form, it can have no connection with actions producing their results, just as the sky can have no connection with binding ropes.*
In VI. 1 also there is some criticism of Samkhya views. Somadeva asks how it is possible to discriminate between the Prakyti and the Self, both
1 ' स यदा
स्फाटिकाश्मानमिवानन्दात्मानमप्यात्मानं सुखदुःखमोहाव परिवर्तने हदहंकार दिविवतैः कलुषयन्त्याः...... प्रकृतेः स्वरूपमवगच्छति, तदायोमय गोलकानलतुल्यवर्गस्य बोधवद्बहुधानेकसंसर्गस्य सति विसर्गे सकलज्ञानज्ञेय संवन्धावैकल्यं कैवल्यमवलम्बते तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानमिति वचनात् ।' P. 250.
22 बन्धमोक्षौ सुखं दुःखं प्रवर्तननिवर्तने । यद्येष प्रकृतेर्धर्मः किं स्यात् पुंसः प्रकल्पनम् ॥ P. 253,
4 अकर्तापि पुमान् भोक्ता क्रियाशून्योऽप्युदासिता । नित्योऽपि जातसंसर्गः सवर्गोऽपि वियोगभाक् ॥ शुद्धोऽपि देहसंबद्धो निर्गुणोऽपि शमुच्यते । इत्यन्योन्यविरुद्धोक्तं न युक्तं कापिलं वचः ॥ P. 253.
4 नित्येऽमूर्ते सदा पुंसि कर्मभिः स्वफलेरिभिः । कुतो घटेत संबन्धो यथाकाशस्य रज्जभिः ॥ P. 254.
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