NATURE OF BEING
The nature of being has been studied extensively in the Indian philosophical tradition as well as in western philosophy. Is it related to existing physical parts consisting of the "tripod" of body, mind, and intellect mechanisms as reflected or perceived in our sense perception angle, or is it something beyond the transcendental of the tripod and into the spiritual domain, i.e., the realm of the soul? The nature of being is not something ephemeral, transient, or evanescent; rather, it is more than and beyond all these in the state of eternity or perpetuity. What exactly is the nature of being? There is no univocality but rather more equivocality in several philosophical traditions, from the western to the oriental ones.
1. Outline
1.1. Indian Philosophical Tradition
The Indian philosophical tradition, except the Cārvāka,
believed in possibility of liberation in this life or in future life times. Liberation is based on Dharma (a righteous way of life), Karma (duty), Bhakti (devotion), Dhyana (meditation), and Jnana (knowledge).
"Man possesses a double nature, of which one is a phenomenal ego confined to the body, mind, and intellect, and the other is a higher ego, which is the Eternal Self, surpassing the limitations of all earthly
concepts of self-identification."
The human being is composed of three bodies, as per the Indian philosophical tradition. The bodies emanating from Brahman by avidya, "ignorance" or "nescience" viz., gross body, subtle body and causal body. "The bodies and koshas can have no existence independent of Atman."
1.1.1. Gross
Body (Sthula sarira)
It consists of five gross elements, viz., earth, water, fire, air and space. It is seen by the physical eyes, that which is composed of flesh, bones, fat, skin, nerves, hair, blood, etc., is the physical body. It has six changes, viz., birth, existence, growth, modification, decay, and death. This body grows in youth and decays in old age. It develops when good, nourishing food is given and decays if the food is withdrawn or if there is some disease. Because it disintegrates and decays, it is called sarira. As the body is burned after death, it is called deha.
1.1.2. The Subtle Body (Sukshma sarira)
It is composed of seventeen elements, viz., five Jnana Indriyas, five Karma Indriyas, five Pranas, mind, and intellect. The subtle body develops through intense Abhimana, or egoism, and strong Raga-Dvesha and decays when egoism and Raga-Dvesha are destroyed or decreased. The subtle body is burned by the three kinds of Tapas, viz., adhyatmic, adhibhautic, and adhidaivic.
1.1.3. Causal Body (Karana sarira)
Ajnana or Avidya alone constitutes the Karana Sarira. The causal body develops through the idea, I am Jiva and decays when this idea is annihilated or decreased, when "I" is identified with Brahman. "The subtle and causal bodies are thickened in worldly-minded persons and are thinned out in earnest aspirants."
According to the Taittiriya Upanishad and Mandukya Upanishad existence of the human being is connected to the pancha
koshas, sheaths, in three bodies:
1.1.1. Gross
Body (Sthula sarira):
Annamaya kosha – physical sheath
We need to take good care of
this physical body. Physical health manifests in several ways:
* free from aches and pain;
* feeling of lightness, free from lethargy;
* ability to withstand change;
* feeling a sense of stability and ease.
1.1.2.
The Subtle Body (Sukshma sarira)
i.
Pranamaya kosha – physiological or energy sheath
The five vital forces in the
body that make up the sheath of Pranamaya are Apana, Samana, Prana, Vyana and
Udana. Besides, there are 72,000 nadis (the pathways) that move the
prana in the human body. These nadis are interconnected with the chakras (the
energy centers) in the human body. Each chakra has its own physiological
function and affects the endocrine system.
ii. Manomaya kosha – psychological or
the mind sheath
It includes not only the mind,
but also thoughts, emotions, the senses, and the subconscious. It can be
purified through meditation, karma yoga (selfless service and charity
work), bhakti yoga (prayer), jnana yoga (studying the
scriptures), and and Niyamas (the yogic moral ethics towards
the society and self-discipline).
iii. Vijnanamaya kosha – wisdom sheath
Here the buddhi (intellect) dominates our thinking, controls the Ahamkara (ego) and makes decision.
1.1.3.
Causal Body (Karana sarira)
Anandamaya kosha – bliss sheath
It refers to bliss.
The nature of being comprises eight types as per the Indian philosophical tradition and is enunciated in the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita.
(i) the Ignorant (mūḍhā):
Who lack spiritual knowledge and do not know anything about the soul being
eternal and that its ultimate goal is God-realization.
(ii) the Lazy (nara-adhamāḥ):
Who have the knowledge, and awareness of what they need
to do still, due to their lazy-nature do not want to take any initiative.
(iii) Deluded Intellects (apahṛita jñānāḥ);
Who are so proud of their intellects that they have no faith in the scriptures
and the teachings of the saints.
(iv) Demonic Nature (āsuram bhāvam):
Who are aware of God and His purpose for the world but still work against Him.
(v) The
distressed (ārtaḥ): Who find
their worldly miseries is overflowing, and unable to cope with and also find
that the worldly supports fail to protect them; turn to God for protection.
(vi) The
knowledge seekers (jijñāsu): Who are aware about the opulence and spiritual
realm of God, and try to seek Him through knowledge.
(vii) The seekers of worldly possessions
(artha-arthī): Who
are for material gains that God alone can provide.
(viii) Those
situated in knowledge (jñānī): Who have understood the truth and engage in
devotion to love and serve God.
The first four
types of nature (the ignorant, the lazy, deluded intellect and demoniac
nature) do not surrender to God.
na māṁ duṣhkṛitino
mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛita-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśhritāḥ
The second four
kinds of people (the distressed, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of
worldly possessions, and those who are situated in knowledge) engage in
devotion to God.
chatur-vidhā
bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛitino ’rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣhabha
The tradition of
Indian philosophy is balanced, structured and focussed.
A genre of ancient Greek philosophical
traditions expounded by Aristotle the Being is divided
into ten categories, whether they are innate in the subject or not:
•
Primary categories: Substance,
Relationship, Quantity, and Quality
• Secondary categories: Place, Time, Situation, Condition, Action, and Passion.
Aristotle’s study of the causes and principles of ‘the study of being qua being’ involves three things: (a) a study; (b) a subject matter (being); and (c) a manner in which the subject matter is studied (qua being). Causes and principles of beings qua beings. Whereas natural science studies objects that are material and subject to change, and mathematics studies objects that, although not subject to change, are nevertheless not separate from (i.e., independent of) matter, there is still room for a science that studies things that are eternal and not subject to change, the principle of non-contradiction (PNC). Wherein: the principle that "the same thing cannot at the same time belong but also not belongs to the same thing and in the same respect." This, he says, is the most certain of all principles, and it is not just a hypothesis. It cannot, however, be proved since it is employed implicitly in all proofs, no matter what the subject matter. It is a first principle and, hence, is not derived from anything more basic.
There is congruity between spiritual and physical senses in some western tradition. There is a sense of continuity between physical and spiritual perception. The spiritual senses are a kind of radical enhancement of the physical senses, signifying the essential congruity of the physical and spiritual senses. The leading proponent of this tradition was William Blake. This tradition may be contrasted with much of the western mystical tradition, in which spiritual sensation seems to involve the cessation or closing down of physical sensation. Within the context of mystical experience this closing of the physical eye is necessary in order to open up that inner sight capable of apprehending the supreme reality underpinning and sustaining all things-ready, that is, to perceive the fullness of the transformative vision and experiences offered in the mystery cults and other religious contexts of antiquity.
Descartes, the famous 17th century French philosopher, coined a proposition, ‘I think therefore I am’, that he is thinking and that whatever he thinks must exist. It is a first step in demonstrating the attainability of certain knowledge.
The western tradition both explicitly and implicitly recognises the nature of being in the domain of physical as well as spiritual domains.
2.
Remarks
The nature of being is to realise its own self. Nonrealization leads to suffering. "All kinds of suffering happen in the state of diversity, which is caused by ignorance of one’s real nature.’ Suffering is due to the unsatisfactory nature of all phenomenal existence.
In
the Shrimad Bhagavat Gita it is clearly stated by Lord Sri Krishna that ‘All
created beings are unmanifest before birth, manifest in life, and again unmanifest on death. So why grieve?”
avyaktādīni
bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata
avyakta-nidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā
Death
is certain for one who has been born, and rebirth is inevitable for one who has
died. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable.
jātasya hi dhruvo mṛityur dhruvaṁ janma mṛitasya cha
tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śhochitum arhasi
The
soul is neither born, nor does it ever die; nor having once existed, does it
ever cease to be. The soul is without birth, eternal, immortal, and ageless. It
is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.
na jāyate mriyate vā kadāchin
nāyaṁ
bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo
nityaḥ śhāśhvato ’yaṁ purāṇo
na
hanyate hanyamāne śharīre
In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Dharma is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life.
vāsudeva-parā vedā
vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ
vāsudeva-parā yogā
vāsudeva-parāḥ kriyāḥ
vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ
vāsudeva-paraṁ tapaḥ
vāsudeva-paro dharmo
vāsudeva-parā gatiḥ
(SB 1.2.28-29)
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
After many births of spiritual practice, one who is endowed with knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be all that is. Such a great soul is indeed very rare.
Suffering ceases when attachment ceases. All
begining has an end. Realisation of the nature of being is in the ceaseless pursuit of Dharma (righteous
way of life), Karma (duty), Bhakti (devotion), Dhyana (meditation), and Jñāna (knowledge).
Anything other than that means suffering.
A yogi is superior to the tapasvī
(ascetic),
superior to the jñānī (a person of
learning), and even superior to the karmī
(ritualistic performer). Therefore, strive to be a yogi.
tapasvibhyo
’dhiko yogi
jnanibhyo
’pi mato ’dhikah
karmibhyash
chadhiko yogi
tasmad
yogi bhavarjuna
A tapasvī (ascetic) is one who accepts voluntary mortification and lives an extremely austere lifestyle, refraining from sensual pleasures and the accumulation of material wealth, as an aid in the pursuit of salvation. A jñānī is a person of learning who actively engages in the cultivation of knowledge. A karmī is one who performs the Vedic rituals for attaining material opulence and the celestial abodes. Shree Krishna declares the yogi to be superior to them all. The reason for this is simple. The goal of the karmī, jñānī, and tapasvī is worldly attainment; they are still at the bodily platform of existence. The yogi is striving not for the world, but for God. As a result, the yogi’s accomplishment is at the spiritual platform and is superior to them all.
-Asutosh
Satpathy
Comments
Post a Comment