The mechanism of liberation in Madhva Philosophy - 1

[Guest guest]

Shri U R Acharya (Retd) Meteorological Dept., Zambia

Sept, 1976 issue of Dharmaprakash Journal, Posted with permission from Sri

Raghupathy Rao.

 

It is a basic tenet of Hindu Philosophy that every sentient being consists

of 2 parts: material and spiritual.

The material part, Prakrti, is perishable and the spiritual part, Purusa

(or soul) is imperishable and immortal. At death, the soul, passes from

one body to another carrying with it, its load of karma, the fruits of

which it has to endure in subsequent lives. The ultimate goal of all good

souls is to get out of this cycle of birth and death and enjoy permanently

their share of happiness according to their intrinsic nature. This

naijasukhAnubhUti is known as mukti or liberation. What is the mechanism

of this liberation and how are we to achieve this?

 

The human body according to SAnkhya philosophy consists of:

5 gross elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether

5 subtle elements or tanmAtras: Smell, Taste, Sight, Sound and Touch

5 organs of perception: Nose, Tongue, Eyes, Ears and Skin

5 organs of action: Hands, Feet, Organs of speech, Evacuation, and

Generation

mind, intellect, citta and ego.

 

These are classified as matter. The AtmA or the soul is of entirely

different category and is called spirit or purusa. The soul cannot be

seen, conceived, or comprehended by our senses. We can neither cut it or

wet it; fire does not burn it. It is made up of pure existence,

consciousness and bliss - sat, cit and AnandA. Not that it is happy or

good, but it is happiness and goodness itself. It is like sweetness in

sugar candy. We taste and enjoy it, but we cannot but a Kg of sweetness in

any shop. But, this does not mean it does not exist.

 

In the physical world we are aware of energy and its various

manifestations, but we cannot see it except in association with matter. We

are aware of electricity and we see the smallest part of it in an

electron. Electron has a tiny mass and no one has been able to isolate the

electric charge from this tiny piece of matter. Nobody has seen

electricity by itself. In the same way, our mind cannot grasp what the

soul is. It may also seem hard to conceive how a soul can keep its

individual identity once it leaves the body, without being dissipated or

merged with space or AkAsa. In the physical world, does not quantum energy

keep its identity even though it is travelling at 186,000 miles per

second?

 

We see an external object through our eyes. The eye has a lens that places

a 2 dimensional image on the retina. The optic nerves are stimulated and

an electric current is sent to a specific part of the brain. Then, we are

aware of the object with all its color, shade, thickness and softness.

What is it that really sees? The eye, the brain or both? Actually, it is

the purusa or soul that sees! In a dark room, with our eyes closed, we can

see objects. In sleep, we see objects in our dreams. A dead body has the

same eyes and brain, but cannot see since the soul has left it!

 

What makes the soul see, hear, smell and think? What makes it remember the

good and bad deeds, and carry the ledger of debit and credit to your next

life?

The soul is covered by a sheath called linga sarIra. This sheath is made

up of the same substance as the soul, but contains in a subtle form the 5

organs of action, 5 organs of sense, 5 prAnas (prAna, apAna, vyAna, udAna

and samAna), mind and intellect - making it 17 constituents in all.

It is this sheath that is responsible for the soul's activities and its

entanglements inside the body in its repeated births in this world. This

covering clings to the soul so long as it is not liberated. Liberation is

the process of the soul getting rid of its linga sarIra, after which it

will no more be caught in the cycle of births and death.

 

To be cont.....

 

 

 

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