THE SELF IN INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
K. P. Sinba, M.A.,Ph.D.( D. Lit,
Dept. of Sanskrit, Tripura University, Agartala.
PUNTHIPUSTAK
CALCUTTA :j 1991
Reserved by the Author.
First Published, 1991
ISBN No: 81-85094-46—2
Printed at :
Arun Kumar Pyne ARIN PRINTERS 51/1/1, .Sikdar Bagan Streqt. Calcutta-700 004
Preface
The term 'Stman' or 'self used in the Upanigadsand Advaita-Vedgnta means both the Universal Self or Brahman and the individual self. But in all other systems of Indian philosophy as also in general usage, the term 'atmarf without any qualification means the individual self, while the same qualified by some term meaning 'universal'—e.g. 'vi&va\ 'parama' etc.— means the Universal Self. In the present study, I have followed the second trend in the usage of the term 'Qtmarf or 'self.
In this work, I have made an attempt to present the concept of the individual self as found in all the well-known systems of Indian Philosophy, including those of Vaignavism, Ssaivism and Saktism. While dealing with any point in the course of my discussion, I have always quoted the original texts. I am hopeful that from this work, the reader will be able to make a comparative study of the concept of the self in the different systems of Indian Philosophy.
I am thankful to Sri Sankar Kumar Bhattacharya the authorities of PUNTHI PUSTAK, CALCUTTA, for taking interest in the publication of the work and bringing it out in print with proper care.
K. P. Sinha
Agartala,
15 August, 1991
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ABBREVIATIONS
=Bhagavad-Gitg
=Bhagavat-Sandarbha
= Bhagavata-Puraria
= Brhadarany aka-Upani§ad
=Brahma-sQtra
= Brahama-sQtra-AnubhgSya
=Brahma-satra-Bhaskara-bha§ya
=Brahma-sutra-Govinda-bha5ya
=Brahma-s5tra-Madhva-bha§ya
=Brahma-sQtra-Nimbarka-bha$ya
= Brahma-sutra-Ramanuja-bhaSya
=Brahma-sutra-Sankara-bhagya
=Brahma-sutra-i3rlkara-bha§ya
=Brahma-sQtra-Vijfiangmrta-bha5ya
=Caitanya-caritamfta
=Chandogya-Upani5ad
=Indian Philosophy ( S. Radhakrishnan )
= Majjhima-Nikaya
= Mimgnsa-s'loka-vartika
=Nyaya-sutra
= Ny ay a-sutra-bhajy a
=Nyaya-Vgrtika
=Paficartha-bha§ya ( on PgSupata-sutra )
=Pratyabhijfia-hrdaya
=Prakarana-paScikg
= Paramatma-sandarbha
Sarva-dar9ana-saihgraha Sariikhya-karika Siddhgnta-le§a-samgraha Sainyukta-Nikaya
( viii )
SpK =Spanda-karika
SS =Samkhya-sutra
STK =SaJnkhya-tattva-kaumudi
$v Up =f$vetasavatara Upanigad
TDN =Tattvartha-dipa-nibandha
TP =Tattva-prakasa
TV =Tattva-Vaisaradi ( on YSB )
VK =Vedanta-Kaustubha
VP =Vedanta-paribha§a
VRM =Vedanta-ratna-njaBju?a
VSS =Vedanta-siddhanta-sariigraha
YS =Yoga-s5tra
YSB =Yoga-sBto>a-bha§ya.
Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIH Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI Chapter XII Chapter XIII Chapter XIV Chapter XV Chapter XVI Chapter XVII Chapter XVIII Chapter XIX Chapter XX Chapter XXI Chapter XXII Chapter XXIII
CONTENTS
Pages
Preface v
Abbreviations vii
The Self in the UpaniSads 1
The Self in the Bhagavad-GU l — 8
The Self in Cgrvakism 13
The Self in Jainism — 16
The Self in Buddhism 25
The Self in Mimansa 33
The Self in Nygya-Vaife§ika 42
The Self in Saihkhya 50 The Self in Yoga
( Patanjala-Yoga ) 54 The Self in VijSana BhikSu's
Philosophy — 58
The Self in ^ankara-Vedanta — 69
The Self in Bhaskara-Vedanta — 80
The Self in Ramanuja-Vedanta — 89
The Self in Nimbarka-Vedanta — 96
The Self in Madhva-Vedanta 104
The Self in Vallabha-Vedanta 113
The Self in Sri Caitanya-Vedanta-•• 121
The Self in Pa^upata-^aivism 129
The Self in ^aiva-Siddhanta 134
The Self in ^rlkantha-Saivism — 139
The Self in Vira-^aivism 144
The Self in Pratyabhijng-Saivism ••• 155
The Self in Saktism 161
Select Bibliography 165
iiiNillllliiiii
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CHAPTER
THE SELF IN THE UPANI$ADS
Nature of the Self
In the Upani§ads, the term 'Brahman' is used to denote the Absolute, and the term 'Jiva' or 'jlvatman', to denote the individual self. The term 'dtman' is, however, used to mean both the Absolute and the individual self, because the essence or real self of the individual is non-different from the essence of the world i. e. Brahman.
In its real nature, the self is pure consciousness and pure bliss. It is eternal, unchangeable and imperishable. It is devoid of any body and is frse from birth and death1. It is free from sin, old age, death, grief, hunger and thirst2. It is infinite or all-pervasive ; it exists everywhere and pervades everything3. It is described sometimes as having the measure of a thumb and sometimes as having an atomic measure. Again, it is said that the self is smaller than the atom and bigger than the big4. All this means that the self cannot be measured in any way and that it transcends all the limitations of space. The self is a subject-object-less entity ; it has no object to be known or enjoyed. Accordingly, it is not the doer (Karta) or knower (jMtQ) or enjoyer (bhoktfy*. It lies beyong the Law of Karman. Again, the self is unknowable and inexpressible ; it cannot be known by the senses and the mind, nor can it be expressed by words6. Being of the nature of pure consciousness, the self is self-revealed and is never enveloped by ignorance. That means, the self is ever free and is never bound in the world. Being of the nature of pure bliss, the self is never subjected to the
2 The Self in Indian Philosophy
joys and sorrows of the world. The consciousness and bliss of the self have no reference to any object i. e. they are not produced by the self's contact with any object.
Jlvatman or the individual self means the infinite self conditioned by the body, the senses and the mind7. In reality, the self is different from the body, the sense-organs, the mind (manas) and the intellect (buddhi}. The body is the chariot, the sense-organs are the horses, the manas is the bridle, the intellect is the driver, while the self lying beyond the intellect is the guide of the whole system. The body is directed by the sense-organs ; the sense-organs, by the mind ; the mind, by the intellect, and the intellect, by the self8. The sense-organs, the mind and the intellect are the instruments by which the self knows, acts and enjoys. Thus, the self is the karta or doer, boddha orjfiata or knower, mantft or thinker and bhokta or enjoyer9. It is the experiencer of joys and sorrows accruing from its actions. It exists as the inner controller in the cavily •of the heart where from it guides the mind-body10.
The self is the constant and unchangeable essence of a being ; it is the common factor of a being in all the states of waking, dream, sleep, death, rebirth and liberation11. It is the subject of all experiences, and is self-revealed. Ygjnavalkya says, "When the sun sets, when the moon sets, when the fire is put out, the self alone is his light"12. It means that even wiien no object exists, the self persists in its own light.
The self does not perish with the destruction of the body. It takes one birth after another and continues through all these births. The Јruti says, "Just as corns wither away and germinate again, so mortal beings die and are born again according to their moral deserts"13.
The individual self is encased in five koiias or sheaths. The body and the sense-organs constitute the annamaya-kosa or the bodily sheath. Within the bodily sheath there is the prana-maya-ko$a or the vital sheath which consists of the vital forces. Within the vital sheath exists the manomaya-koSa or the mental
The Self in the Upanisads 3
sheath which has the mind as its central principle. Within the mental sheath, there lies the vij1lanamaya-ko§a or the intellect-sheath which has the intellect as the fundamental principle. Within the intellect-sheath there is the anandamaya-kosa or the blissful sheath which consists of pure consciousness and
bliss14.
The individual self has four states : jdgrat, svapna, su§upti and turiya. The jagrat or waking state is that in which the self knows and enjoys external objects through the external sense-organs. The self in this state is called visva or vai&vanara. The state of svapna or dream is that in which the self knows and enjoys the subtle or internal objects by the internal organ or mind. The self in this state is called taijasa. The state of siisupti or dreamless sleep is that in which the self exists simply as consciousness and bliss without apprehending or enjoying any external or internal object. In this state the self attains its real nature but is not freed from ignorance. The self in this state is called prajfla. The turiya or fourth state of the self is that in which the self exists as pure transcendental consciousness and bliss freed from ignorance. The self in this state is called at man15. This is the real nature of the self which is realised in liberation when the self is totally freed from ignorance.