A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 756 pages of information about A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1.

A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 756 pages of information about A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1.

The other line of thought is a direct reference to the doctrine of transmigration unmixed with the idea of reaping the fruits of his deeds (karma) by passing through the other worlds and without reference to the doctrine of the ways of the fathers and gods, the Yanas.  Thus Yajnavalkya says, “when the soul becomes weak (apparent weakness owing to the weakness of the body with which it is associated) and falls into a swoon as it were, these senses go towards it.  It (Soul) takes these light particles within itself and centres itself only in the heart.  Thus when the person in the eye turns back, then the soul cannot know colour; (the senses) become one (with him); (people about him) say he does not see; (the senses) become one (with him), he does not smell, (the senses) become one (with him), he does not taste, (the senses) become one (with him), he does not speak, (the senses) become one (with him), he does not hear, (the senses) become one (with him), he does not think, (the senses) become one with him, he does not touch, (the senses) become one with him, he does not know, they say.  The

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[Footnote 1:  Cha.  V. 10.]

[Footnote 2:  Deussen’s Philosophy of the Upanishads, p. 335.]

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tip of his heart shines and by that shining this soul goes out.  When he goes out either through the eye, the head, or by any other part of the body, the vital function (pra@na) follows and all the senses follow the vital function (pra@na) in coming out.  He is then with determinate consciousness and as such he comes out.  Knowledge, the deeds as well as previous experience (prajna) accompany him.  Just as a caterpillar going to the end of a blade of grass, by undertaking a separate movement collects itself, so this self after destroying this body, removing ignorance, by a separate movement collects itself.  Just as a goldsmith taking a small bit of gold, gives to it a newer and fairer form, so the soul after destroying this body and removing ignorance fashions a newer and fairer form as of the Pit@rs, the Gandharvas, the gods, of Prajapati or Brahma or of any other being....As he acts and behaves so he becomes, good by good deeds, bad by bad deeds, virtuous by virtuous deeds and vicious by vice.  The man is full of desires.  As he desires so he wills, as he wills so he works, as the work is done so it happens.  There is also a verse, being attached to that he wants to gain by karma that to which he was attached.  Having reaped the full fruit (lit. gone to the end) of the karma that he does here, he returns back to this world for doing karma [Footnote ref 1].  So it is the case with those who have desires.  He who has no desires, who had no desires, who has freed himself from all desires, is satisfied in his desires and in himself, his senses do not go out.  He being Brahma attains Brahmahood.  Thus the verse says, when all the desires that are in his heart are got rid of, the mortal becomes immortal and attains Brahma here” (B@rh.  IV. iv. 1-7).

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A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.