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The concept of Sharira as Prameya

by Elizabeth T. Jones | 2019 | 42,436 words

This page relates ‘Pretyabhava (Rebirth)� of the study on the concept of Sharira as Prameya Based on Nyaya (shastra), which represents one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. Nyaya philosophy basically represents the “science of reasoning� and primarily deals with epistemology and logic. Sharira (“body�) refers to one of the twelve Prameyas (“objects of valid knowledge�), as defined in the Nyayashastra literature.

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Pretyabhava (Rebirth)

Almost all orthodox systems of Philosophy accept the existence of an individual Soul in each body. When such a soul is accepted as eternal and the body borne by the soul is seen perishable, there is no other way than accepting ٲⲹ屹 on rebirth. ṃkⲹ who see the soul as ʳܰṣa also are seen accepting rebirth for the ʳܰṣa until he is released from Prakrti (nature) though by her grace. The great Sāṃkara who popularized the Advaita Vedanta Philosophy does not agree with the view of ṃkⲹ since he says that the nature which is senseless cannot act for the release of ʳܰṣa. Moreover, Sankhya’s ʳܰṣa does not do anything. It is the intellect which is a product of ūṛt (primary evolve) which acts empowered by the shadow of ʳܰṣa falling on it. ʳܰṣa sees his image in the active ʰṛt and feels as if he is acting. After several births the nature shows here self to the puruṣa and leaves him. ṃkⲹ find this stage of puruṣa as the emancipation[1].

Śṃk says to ṃkⲹ that if so there is no chance for the soul to get emancipation. If it is said that ٳ or soul does not do anything then how can he be tied with the result of good or bad deeds which always take place. Also one will not get the result of the deed done by the other. Hence the consumer and the producer should be the same.

The ⾱첹 also almost follow the way of Śṃk. They are also having the same opinion that a doer alone will get the result of what he does. Nature is common–Even though it can tempt a being to do good or bad deeds it will be the duty of the doer to decide whether he should do it or not. In this way the ⾱첹 do not accept the view of ṃkⲹ in this matter. The poem in Srīmad Bhagavadgita which starts as prakrthkriya is explained in two ways by the ṃkⲹ and others. The ṃkⲹ explain this poem as it is prakṛti or nature which acts. The Vedāntiṃs and the ⾱첹 explain the meaning in another way. They find that the nature is tempting and the soul is tempted. Ofcourse the soul is engaged in deeds out of ignorance. But he cannot escape from the results which often befall at a later stage of the deeds.

While accepting Pretyabhāva (rebirth) the ⾱첹 explain it as regeneration[2]. Taking birth means one’s new contact with a body, sensual organs, intellect, feelings etc. One after completing his journey in a body leaves it and goes away to get a new birth. The heterodox systems like do not accept this kind of rebirth since according to them there is no soul beyond the visible body. They believe that one can enjoy all pleasures in his life since there is no question of taking a rebirth once a body is got burned[3].

The Bauddhas though represent an atheistic way of thinking are not ready to deny the phenomenon of rebirth.But for then the soul is not eternal and it is also several. Hence they believe that the system of intellect somehow takes the rebirth. But for others the soul is unique in each body and it alone is liable to get rebirth.

In the ⲹūٰ of Gautama the possibility of rebirth is examined in detail. At first the view of the opponents is established in this regard. Since the Ātma is considered eternal, it cannot be assumed liable to birth and death. When the Pretyabhāva is explained in terms of death and rebirth it cannot be assumed asoccurring to the eternal soul, which has otherwise no formation or deformation. The Bauddhas who consider the soul as a form of momentary knowledge can accept rebirth since momentary things are liable to both formation and destruction.

In reply to this, Gautama says that the said birth and rebirth can happen only if the soul is eternal.[4] If it is not so one will have to enjoy the result of deeds done by others.The actual sinner will not be found by his deeds unless there is no eternal soul as the Bauddhas claim. The eternal soul which is entirely different from the body leaves the earlier body and gets a fresh one. In Bhagavadgita, Lord ṛṣṇa seems to have the same opinion when he says that a soul gets a fresh body leaving an old one like one change his cloth for a new one.

Now a question arises in which way a new body is formed. The ⾱첹 are of opinion that the body is formed from the atoms of earth, etc., which are beyond sight. In the world, the formed objects are seen bearing the qualities of their cause which resemble in the products produced. The formation of the visible body is from the minute atoms which are also having certain qualities.

The opponents find fault with this argument when they say that no pot is seen produced from another pot. So it is not correct to say that something is manifested from something which is also of the same nature.In reply to this, Gautama says that it is not said that anything would bear the causation of another. But the manifested one would have its source in something of the same nature. For example a pot is formed from (fragment of a brick) which again is formed from the earthly objects. Thus the cause and effect would be of the same nature.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

SDS, p.102

[2]:

Punarutpatthihipretyabhavaha ⲹ ūٰ[19]

[3]:

Carvakadarsanam, p. 32

[4]:

Aatmanityatvepretyabhavasiddhih, ūٰ, p. [10]

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