Gita Rahasya -Tilak 255

Karma Yoga Sastra -Tilak


They have,,therefore, come to the conclusion, that the various objects in the world begin to come into existence when these innumerable atoms begin to coalesce. As according to this theory, the universe starts to come into existence when the union between the atoms commences to take place, it is called ' Arambha-vada ' (the Theory of Commencement). But Samkhya philosophy does not accept this Nyaya theory of innumerable atoms, and says that the Fundamental Root of the Gross world is ' one, homogeneous, real, and three-constituented Prakrti '; and they say that the perceptible world comes into existence as a result of the unfurling or parinama of the constituents of this three- constituented Prakrti. This doctrine is known as the ' Guna- parinama-vada ' (Theory of the Development of Constituents), because, it maintains that the -entire perceptible universe is the result of the unfurling of the constituents of one fundamental qualityful Prakrti. But both these theories are negatived by the, Non-Dualistic Vedantists. As atoms are innumerable, they cannot be the Boot of the world according to Non- Dualism ; and the Dualistio theory, that though Prakrti is one, it is different from Purusa and independent, is also inconsistent with Non-Dualism ; but, when in this way, both these theories are negatived, it becomes necessary to explain how the qualityful universe came into existence out of one qualityless Brahman ; because, according to the satkaryavada, the Quality- ful cannot come into existence out of the Qualityless. To this, the reply of the Vedantists is, that the doctrine of satkaryavada applies only where both the Cause and the Product are Real substances ;

where the fundamental substance is one, and only its forms or appearances are changed, this theory does not apply; because, as is common experience, seeing various appearances of one and the same thing is not a quality of that thing, and these various appearances can come into existence as a result of the difference in the vision of the persons who see. [1] When this theory is applied to the qualityless Brahman and the qualityful universe, one has to say that the Brahman is qualityless, and that an appearance of qualityfulness comes into existence in it, as a result of the nature of the human organs. This is known as the ' Vivarta-vada. ' According to Vivarta-vada, there is believed to be only one, fundamental, Real substance, and it is said that numerous, unreal or constantly changing Appearances are ascribed to it ; and in the Guna-parinama-vada, two Real susbtances are taken for granted from the very commencement, and it is said that the Gunas ( constituents ) of one of these two become unfurled, and that all other things in the universe which are possessed of various qualities come into existence in con- sequence. The impression of the existence of a serpent, where, as a matter of fact, there is only a string, is the Vivarta-vada ; and, fibres being formed into a rope, or curds out of milk, is the Guna-parinama-vada.


References And Context

  1. To explain this meaning in English, we have to say : Appearances are the results of subjective condition, viz., the senses of the observer, and not of the Thing-in-itself