Contribution of Vachaspati-Mishra to Samkhya System
by Sasikumar. B | 2017 | 35,637 words
This page relates 鈥楢pavarga (liberation) in Sankhya鈥� of the research on the Sankhya [Samkhya] school of Indian philosophy with special reference to the contribution of Vachaspati-Mishra. The study includes concepts such as Epistemology (validity and worth of knowledge), Ontology (theory of being or reality), Psychology (science of behavior and mind), Phenomenology (the philosophical study of the structures of experience and consciousness) and Ethics (the removal of errors), all forming an essential part of Samkhya philosophy.
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Chapter 3.3h - Apavarga (liberation) in 厂腻峁卥丑测补
The earthly life is full of three kinds of pain.
1) The first kind, called 鈥�腻诲丑测腻迟尘颈办补鈥�, is due to intra-organic psycho-physical causes and includes all mental and bodily sufferings.
2) The second, 鈥�腻诲丑颈产丑补耻迟颈办补鈥� is due to extra-organic natural causes like men, beasts, birds, tamas etc.
3) The third 鈥�腻诲丑颈诲补颈惫颈办补鈥�, is due to supernatural causes like the planets, elemental agencies, ghosts, demon etc.
Wherever there are 驳耻峁嘺蝉 there are pains. Even the so called pleasures lead to pain. Even the life in heaven is subject to the 驳耻峁嘺蝉. The end of man is to get rid of these three kinds of pain and sufferings. Liberation [i.e., apavarga] means complete cessation of all sufferings which is the summum bonum, the highest end of life.[1]
厂腻峁卥丑测补 believes that bondage and liberation [i.e., apavarga] alike are only phenomenal. The bondage of the 笔耻谤耻峁 is a fiction. It is only the ego, the product of 笔谤补办峁泃颈, which is bound. And consequently it is only the ego, which is liberated. If 笔耻谤耻峁 were really bound, it could not have obtained liberation, for real bondage can never be destroyed. It is 笔谤补办峁泃颈 which is bound and 笔谤补办峁泃颈 which is liberated. 莫艣varak峁涐梗峁嘺 says: 笔耻谤耻峁 is neither bound nor liberated nor does it transmigrate. Bondage, liberation and transmigration belong to 笔谤补办峁泃颈 in its manifold forms. In reality the 笔耻谤耻峁 is not liberated or is migrated. There are many means of expression to make it possible for the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 to be liberated or migrated. It can be thus explained that the soldiers wage wars and succeed, but it is said that the King is victorious, though the soldier risked his life, so also the terms bondage, release and migration is burdened on the 笔耻谤耻峁. The emancipation and experience are the qualities of the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 and these qualities are passed on to 笔耻谤耻峁 as if it were its qualities.[2] It has been said earlier that there is no discrimination between the 笔耻谤耻峁 and 笔谤补办峁泃颈 so there is no confusion about the attributes of these two. Curiosity springs up again as to what gain the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 gets by sharing her qualities with the 笔耻谤耻峁.
Just as a dancing girl retires from the stage after entertaining the audience, 笔谤补办峁泃颈 also returns after exhibiting herself to the 笔耻谤耻峁. 痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 惭颈艣谤补 compares the cessation of 笔谤补办峁泃颈鈥檚 task of emancipating the 笔耻谤耻峁 with that of a dancer. The dancer when she, after showing off or exhibiting all her abilities, including that of the music and body, stops her dance and retires from the stage, the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 too after all her performances ceases to emancipate.[3] The 笔谤补办峁泃颈 favours the purpose of the 笔耻谤耻峁 or rather stands for the purpose of the 笔耻谤耻峁, if so, will stands 笔谤补办峁泃颈 be paid for the pains she receives from the 笔耻谤耻峁. The author compares this as the servant receiving a gift when she satisfies the needs of the master flawlessly. If the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 is rewarded then it cannot be said that it is for the purpose of 笔谤补办峁泃颈 that the creation takes place.
Apavarga in 厂腻峁卥丑测补 Philosophy is a state of freedom from pain. It is not a state of pleasure or even the state of 膧苍补苍诲补 because it is the cessation of both pleasure and pain. If 膧苍补苍诲补 is only the cessation of both pain and pleasure it can be considered as a state of bliss. It is 笔耻谤耻峁s freedom from 笔谤补办峁泃颈 because the cause of pain is 补惫颈诲测腻 by which 笔耻谤耻峁 falsely identifies himself with 笔谤补办峁泃颈. Avidy膩 itself is a product of Prakarti. 笔耻谤耻峁 and 笔谤补办峁泃颈 will be perfectly discriminated from each other through the purification of buddhi. 笔耻谤耻峁 realizes that his relation with 笔谤补办峁泃颈 was based on ignorance. By the dissolution of that relation, 笔耻谤耻峁 attains isolation and realizes himself. From the standpoint of 笔谤补办峁泃颈, realization is the merging of the evolutes in their cause and from the standpoint of 笔耻谤耻峁 it is the realization of his true nature.
According to the 厂腻峁卥丑测补 System bhoga and Apavarga are the aims of creation or evolution.[4] Without bhoga there is no Apavarga at all. Bhoga brings the experience of pleasure and pain. 笔谤补办峁泃颈, which is constituted of the three 驳耻峁嘺蝉, is the cause of this experience. There is no pleasure without pain. So to avoid pain completely one must avoid pleasure also. So 笔耻谤耻峁 must avoid 笔谤补办峁泃颈 completely and remain in his own nature of Pure Consciousness. The ultimate goal is the absolute cessation of pain which is the total extinction of all experience. This state is not a mere void, but is positive to the extent that it is Pure Consciousness and also total calmness.
The nature of Apavarga
In 厂腻峁卥丑测补k膩rik膩 the nature of Apavarga is explained in 碍腻谤颈办补蝉 55 to 68. According to 痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 惭颈艣谤补, 笔耻谤耻峁 is akart膩 hence all the actions are done by 笔谤补办峁泃颈. These actions are its evolution and involution. Through the course of evolution 笔谤补办峁泃颈 brings the experience of pleasure and pain to 笔耻谤耻峁 which is called 鈥榖hoga鈥�. After the purpose of 鈥榖hoga鈥� is accomplished 笔谤补办峁泃颈 retires from further creation and then the involution takes place. 笔耻谤耻峁 is said to be the spectator. 笔谤补办峁泃颈 once aware of having been seen by 笔耻谤耻峁 disappears from the sight of that particular 笔耻谤耻峁 and never again comes into contact with him.[5]
痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 Misra explains the Apavarga of 笔耻谤耻峁 in detail with suitable examples. The 笔谤补办峁泃颈 has been blessed with many qualities is the one responsible for bringing about bhoga and Apavarga for the 笔耻谤耻峁. The 笔耻谤耻峁 is 苍颈谤驳耻峁嘺 and so it is unable to reward the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 who does benevolence for it. This is explained by taking the example of a servant who has noble qualities, without expecting anything in return helps his master, without expecting any reward, so also the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 who is generous helps in emancipating the 笔耻谤耻峁.[6] The pure, noble, and unselfish characteristics of 笔谤补办峁泃颈 are highlighted here.
The 笔谤补办峁泃颈 is the most modest than anything, says 痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 Misra. So once she is aware that she has been seen, she hides herself and never exposes herself again to the 笔耻谤耻峁. The term modesty here is used in the sense that the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 is very delicate and also very shy to be exposed in front of 笔耻谤耻峁. She covers herself from the 笔耻谤耻峁 as it is unbearable for her to be seen by 笔耻谤耻峁. The author compares 笔谤补办峁泃颈 to a modest lady who never comes before the Sun or casts her eyes down when she sees the Sun out of modesty, if by chance happens to be seen naked covers herself with what all things she gets and hides herself from the sight of the viewer, so also the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 who is the modest thing, once seen by 笔耻谤耻峁 never lets a chance to see her.[7] In reality, the changes are taking place in 笔谤补办峁泃颈 itself. 笔耻谤耻峁 in 厂腻峁卥丑测补 is Pure Consciousness devoid of attributes and modifications. Hence, no 笔耻谤耻峁 is bound or released, nor does he migrate. It is 笔谤补办峁泃颈 alone that is bound or released or migrates.
The 笔耻谤耻峁 after gaining the Absolute knowledge becomes pure and observes the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 which has retired from the action of creativity. The 笔谤补办峁泃颈 has reversed from different varieties of evolution that is seven forms of evolution, which are virtue, vice, error, dispassion, passion, power, and weakness, being influenced by the objective of the 笔耻谤耻峁.[8] The 笔谤补办峁泃颈 puts an end to her productivity because she had determined to be in action in the areas of 鈥榚xperience鈥� and 鈥榩erception of truth鈥�. As these two creations are completed the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 is free and so it is said that 笔谤补办峁泃颈 stops the process of creation. By saying that the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 is influenced by the purpose of the 笔耻谤耻峁 one means that it comes under the influence of the discriminatory knowledge that is the Wisdom. The seven forms of evolution mentioned above occur due to aj帽ana. Even dispassion occurs through the mistaken knowledge, even though some find contentment by acquiring it. This mistaken knowledge can be cleansed off by the gaining of the true knowledge. By doing so, the cause and effects of this flawed knowledge are erased off. So it is said that the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 ceases from the seven forms of evolution.
Here the word at ease is used to denote inactiveness which in turn means pure. The 笔耻谤耻峁 not blended with the impurities of the Buddha, which is caused by the attributes of the rajas and tamas, till the last minute with the help of sattva attribute is able to flourish in the buddhi which helps it have the vision of the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 which is otherwise impossible. The doubt the scholars point out here is that evolution is possible only when the 笔耻谤耻峁 and 笔谤补办峁泃颈 are blended together and this is the potential of these two. The potentiality of experience is said to make up the 笔耻谤耻峁鈥檚 sentience as it is the ability of it as an object of experience and this also comprises the insentience and objectivity of the nature. These two potentials can never be terminated.[9]
痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 惭颈艣谤补 says that the word 鈥榩ure鈥� means that 笔耻谤耻峁 is unmixed with the impurities of the buddhi due to rajas and tamas. Buddhi is, then, abounding in the Sattva attribute.
It is said that 笔耻谤耻峁 beholds 笔谤补办峁泃颈.
Hence in this stage 笔耻谤耻峁 is in slight touch with 笔谤补办峁泃颈 abounding in the 蝉补迟迟惫补驳耻峁嘺.[11] Thus this is only a stage in the course of attaining the final release.
厂腻峁卥丑测补k膩rik膩 says,
鈥湵食馨茚梗a is indifferent, thinking that 笔谤补办峁泃颈 has been seen by him, and 笔谤补办峁泃颈 desists from evolution, thinking that she has been seen by 笔耻谤耻峁. Hence, though their connection is still there, there is no motive for further evolution.鈥�
Following 厂腻峁卥丑测补k膩rik膩 痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 makes it clear thus; the 笔耻谤耻峁 feels that the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 has seen him and so he is not interested anymore. The 笔谤补办峁泃颈 also feels that she has been seen stops her action. Even though their bond continues, there is no scope for evolution. The 笔谤补办峁泃颈 when make happen the discriminative knowledge of wisdom stops the creation of experience or rather enjoyment as the enjoyment belongs to the erroneous knowledge. This can be compared to the sprouts. If there is a seed only then sprout can appear so also only if erroneous knowledge is there then only the wisdom can be attained.[12] The need of discriminative knowledge makes the 笔耻谤耻峁 thinks it as his possession and immerses in the comforts and displeasures, being misled by the changes in the 笔谤补办峁泃颈, the sense objects and so on. This very wisdom or rather the discriminative knowledge is also considered by the 笔耻谤耻峁 as his possession. At the time of right discrimination the bond between the 笔耻谤耻峁 and 笔谤补办峁泃颈 stops. This is the moment when all the enjoyments of the 笔耻谤耻峁 ends and the 笔耻谤耻峁 is not capable of causing the discriminative knowledge of wisdom by itself because it is the adaptation of the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 as wisdom originates from 笔谤补办峁泃颈.
After attaining wisdom 笔耻谤耻峁 does not have any purpose of its own. The motives of the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 like experience and emancipation are supplied by the 笔耻谤耻峁 and when the purpose of the 笔耻谤耻峁 is stopped then the motivation of the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 is stopped automatically. This leads to the saying that there is no motive for evolution. Here motive, means that one which pushes forward the 笔谤补办峁泃颈 to carry on the process of evolution. This motive ceases when the purpose of the 笔耻谤耻峁 dies.
When wisdom is attained the body becomes null and it is doubted that how the body less 笔耻谤耻峁 observe the 笔谤补办峁泃颈. If the answer to this is that salvation cannot be attained as soon as wisdom is attained due to the past deeds then how can these deeds be erased off. The implicit saying that 鈥渆mancipation follows from the knowledge of the distinction between the manifest, the unmanifest, and the 笔耻谤耻峁,鈥�[13] is meaningless when this theory is applied. Even the saying that 鈥渆mancipation would be obtained on the destruction of the residual of Karma by means of experience extending to an uncertain period of time鈥� is too optimistic to be fulfilled. The answer to these doubts is given in the next 碍腻谤颈办腻.
The achievement of flawless wisdom, virtue, and so on by the 笔耻谤耻峁 makes it lack fundamental vigor and for a short time it will stay back in the body. This is compared by the author to a potter鈥檚 wheel which revolves even after the work is done due to the momentum given to it previously.[14] The spark of true knowledge destroys the k膩rmic residuum which has no beginning and the result of it cannot be calculated too. The fruits of experience, the birth, life and experience will be unable to be produced. If watered by kle艣as, the seeds of karma sprout up and then these kle艣as will be drained off by the heat of the true knowledge which ceases the sprouting up of the k膩rmic seeds.
It can be said that even after attaining the discriminative knowledge of wisdom the body clings for some time as mentioned earlier and it becomes exhausted and thus become inactive. When in the body the force is applied by the virtue and vice whose end result starts to function. It has been already underlined that the experience which is attained by any means leads to heavenly happiness.
In the 颁丑腻苍诲辞驳测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 [15] it is stated thus,
鈥淭he delay is only so long as beatitude is not attained.鈥�
After all these sayings there arises a question that if the 笔耻谤耻峁 remains in the body by some force then how can the final liberation [i.e., apavarga] take place.
Answering this question the 68th 碍腻谤颈办腻 states that
鈥淲hen the separation from the body has at length been attained, and by reason of the purpose having been fulfilled, 笔谤补办峁泃颈 ceases to act, then he attains eternal and absolute isolation.鈥�
From the above, we may conclude that a motive is that which moves 笔谤补办峁泃颈 to act towards evolution. Before attaining discriminative knowledge, 笔耻谤耻峁 also is in apparent connection with the body, but having attained the discriminative knowledge the motive for creation ceases. The 鈥�蝉补峁儁辞驳补鈥� of 笔谤补办峁泃颈 and 笔耻谤耻峁 with motive is the cause of creation. But 蝉补峁儁辞驳补 without motive does not produce anything. This stage leads to 闯墨惫补苍尘耻办迟颈. 闯墨惫补苍尘耻办迟补 has experienced alone to the 蝉补峁僺办腻谤补 which remains as the rest of 鈥�辫谤腻谤补产诲丑补办补谤尘补鈥�. When this 鈥槻醪贯箖s办腻谤补鈥� also perishes, he attains 鈥榁idehamukti鈥�.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
厂腻峁卥丑测补 Yoga Epistemology, P. 25
[2]:
[3]:
[4]:
产丑辞驳腻辫补惫补谤驳补濒补办峁峁嘺岣� 辫耻谤耻峁Ｄ乺迟丑补 ev膩n膩gat膩vastha岣� pravartayati 办补谤补峁嚹乶颈, k峁泃amatra tatsvar奴p膩bhij帽ena kartr膩| eta艣ca "vatsaviv峁沝dhinimittam" ityatropap膩dayi峁ate||
厂腻峁卥丑测补tattvakaumud墨 on 厂腻峁卥丑测补k膩rik膩 31
[5]:
厂腻峁卥丑测补tattvakaumud墨 on 厂腻峁卥丑测补k膩rik膩 60 and 61
[6]:
[8]:
k膩ra峁嘺niv峁泃y膩 ca saptar奴p膩峁噄 nivartanta iti "saptar奴paviniv峁泃t膩 辫谤补办峁泃颈岣�" "avasthita" iti 苍颈峁谤颈测补岣�, "蝉惫补肠肠丑补岣�" iti rajastamov峁泃tikalu峁yabudhy膩'sambhinna岣
Ibid.65
[10]:
厂腻峁卥丑测补k膩rik膩 65
[11]:
s膩ttviky膩 tu buddhy膩 tad膩pyasya man膩k sambhedostyeva, anyathaivambh奴taprak峁泃idar艣an膩nupapatteriti|
厂腻峁卥丑测补tattvakaumud墨 on 厂腻峁卥丑测补k膩rik膩 65
[12]:
"avivekakhy膩tinibandhano hi tadupabhogo, nibandhan膩bh膩ve na tadbhavitumarhati, a峁僰ura iva b墨j膩bh膩ve|"
Ibid.66
[13]:
厂腻峁僰丑测补-Tattva-碍补耻尘耻诲墨 (trans.), p.169