Karma Yoga Sastra -Tilak
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CHAPTER VI
THE INTUITIONIST SCHOOL AND THE CONSIDERATION OF THE BODY AND THE ATMAN
(ADHIDAIVATA-PAKSA AND KSETRA-KSETRAJNA-VICARA) We may even say that the Reason being developed in this way is a sign of civilisation, Just as a civilised or educated person's not asking for everything which he casts his. eyes on is a sign of the control over the organs which has become ingrained in him, so also has the mental faculty of choosing between good and evil gradually grown in mankinds and it has now become so much part of human nature that we give our decision as to the morality of a thing spontaneously and without consideration. If we have to see things which are near or which are far, we have to contract the muscles and tendons of the eyes to a greater or lesser extent, and this is done so quickly that we never realise it ; but has any one, on that account, looked upon the consideration of the reasons for this process as useless ? In short, the Mind or the Reason of man are the same at all times and with reference to all matters. It is not that we decide between black and white by one kind of Reason and between good and evil by another kind of Reason. The only difference is that the Reason of a particular person may be more developed, whereas the Reason of another person may be uneducated or incompletely developed. Western Materialistic philosophers have' thus drawn the conclusion that when we bear in mind this difference, and also take into aocount our experience that being able to do any particular thing quickly is only a matter of habit or practice, we have no reason for imagining that there is an independent and wonderful power like Conscience in addition to the natural faculties of the Mind. The ultimate decision of our ancient philosophers on this matter is similar to that of the Western Materialistic philosophers. They admit the principle that it is necessary to consider any particular matter quietly and with a peaceful mind. But they do not accept the position that there is one kind of Reason which decides the question of righteousness and unrighteousness and another kind of Reason which decides whether a particular thing is black or white. The Mind arrives at a correct or incorrect decision according as it has been educated. They, therefore, say that everybody must make an effort to develop his Mind ; and they have also given rules explaining what this development is and how it is to be made. But they do not accept the position that the power of discrimination between good and bad (sad-asad-vivecana-sakti) is some independent heavenly gift which is different from the ordinary Reason of a man. The question as to how a man acquires knowledge and how the activities of his Mind and Reason are carried on, have been very minutely examined in ancient times. This examination is technically known as "the consideration of the Body and the Atman" (ksetra-ksetrajna- vicara). 'ksetra' means the body and 'ksetrajna' means the Atman. This ksetra-ksetrajna-vicara is the foundation of Metaphysics; and as it is impossible to look upon the Power of discrimination between good and bad or any other Mental Deity as higher than the Atman when once one has properly understood this science of the Body and the Atman, it becomes perfectly clear how the Intuitionist arguments are insufficient. I shall, therefore, in this place briefly considar the science of the Body (ksetra or Field) and the Atman (ksetrajna). Thereby, my readers will be able to properly understand the correct meanings of many of the doctrines of the Bhagavadgita. |
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