Yogabindu

Author(s): Haribhadrasuri, K K Dixit
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 11

INTRODUCTION
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which souls as well as matter-particles are real, are many, are chara.
cterized by permanence-cum-change, are ( in each single case ) possessed .. of an inherent capacity to behave in the manner they do. Furthermore,
criticism has been levelled against the Buddhist and Sankhya denial of the possibility - granted by the Jaiva - of a soul attaining omniscience at the time of mokşa (and for a certain period just preceding the attain. ment of mokşa ). Haribhadra thought that the inetaphysical positions thus endorsed by him consitute the mivimui necessary for rendering tenable the doctrine of mokṣa ( and thence for explaining the possibility of a desi. rable type of conduct on man's part). In view of Haribhadra's thoroughly 11011-sectarian outlook on the question of deity-worship his present attitude cannot be dubbed sectarian, but certainly it stands in need of a critical scrutiny ou merits alone. And having undertaken such a scrutiny one might possibly be justified in disagreeing with Haribhadra on this point or that.
(iii) The Problem of Noble Social Conduct : Haribhadra earnestly em. phasizes the desirability of wakefuluess on one's part towards one's social responsibilities. Thus he enumerates a man's obligations in relation to his elders, his family-members who are dependent on him, the poor and helpless in general, the human beings in genera). By way of making a summary characterization of noble conduct Haribhadra loves to call it 'conduct exbibiting self-restrain (śāntata) and high-nindedness (udāttalā)' - an expession where self-restrain' stands for the negative aspect of noble conduct and 'higb-mindeduess' for its positive aspect. And he more than once endorses the Buddhist formula according to which noble conduct has got four aspects, viz. (i) ness (maitri) towards all beings, (ii) compassion (karunā) towards those in misery, (iii) joy (mudita) at the performance of those superior to oneself, and (iv) apathy (upeksā) towards those incapable of being corrected. It can easily be seen that in taking up these positions Haribhadra expects and rightly - support from all men of good will belonging to what ever theological camp. As a matter of fact, on these questions Haribhadra can possibly get support even from such men of good. will as belong to no theological camp whatsoever. However, we should never forget that Haribhadra himself was convinced that a map belonging to no theological camp cannot be a man of good-will. For he makes 'non. antipathy towards mokşa, an indispensable condition of one's being a man of good-will while in ancient and medieval India one could not perhaps be a believer in 'the doctrine of mokṣa without joining one of the theo. logical orders of those days. This also explains why Haribhadra takes it for granted that deity.worship is a highly desirable performance wbile coming out only against the.mutual quarrels of the deity worshippers,