Gita Rahasya -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 have now to see what this thread is. It is not that the Gita does not accept the principle of conglomeration (samghatah) ; but that is looked upon as part of the ksetra[1] We do not thereby get an idea as to who the ksetrajna or the owner of the Body is- Some persons think, that conglomeration gives rise to some new quality. But this opinion itself is not correct; because, philosophers have after mature consideration come to the conclusion that that which was not in existence before, in some form or other, cannot come into existence anew [2] But even if we keep this doctrine aside for a moment, the next question which naturally springs up is why should we not look upon the new quality which arises in the conglomeration, as. the owner of the Body ? To this, some Materialist philosophers, reply, that a substance cannot be different from its qualities, and that the qualities want some superintendence (adhisthanam), and therefore, instead of looking upon the property acquired by the Aggregate as the owner of the Body, we look upon the Aggre- gate itself as such owner. Very well ; then why do you not say 'wood' instead of 'fire', or 'cloud' instead of 'electricity', or 'the earth' instead of 'the gravity of the earth' in ordinary parlance ? If it is not disputed that there must he in existence some Power which is distinct from the Mind and the Reason in order that all the activities of the Body should be carried on systematically and according to some proper arrangement, then can we, because the seat of that Power is still unknown to us, or because we cannot properly explain the full nature of that Power or of that seat, say that that Power does not exist at all ? No person can sit on his own shoulders ; in the same way, it is absurd to say that an Aggregate (samghatah) gives to itself the knowledge of itself. Therefore, we come to the emphatic conclusion even from the logical point of view, that THAT THING for the enjoyment or the benefit of which, the various functions of the Aggregate of the bodily organs etc. are carried on, must be something which is quite distinct from the Aggregate itself. It is true that this Element which is distinct from the Aggregate, is an element which cannot become an object of perception (jneya) or become visible to itself like other objects in the creation, since it is self- enlightened. But, on that account, the fact of its existence cannot come into question ; because, there is no rule that all objects must fall into the single category of the 'perceivable (jneya). |
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