Thiruvaheendhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimakryam: Part 154 ( Desika Prabhandham-- 45: Paasurams 171-172

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SrI:

 

Dear Swamy Desika BhakthAs:

 

Today , we will study the two Paasurams dealing with

Swamy Desikan's criticism of the Third of the Four

Mathams associated with Buddhism : SouthrAnthikam .

 

Before studying the two Paasurams of Swamy Desikan on

this branch of Buddhism , let us summarize the key aspects of

SouthrAnthikam as presentedd by Dr.V.N.SeshAdhriyAcchAr

Swamy ( Dr.V.N.S Swamy ) :

 

1. The MadhyAmikan focused on Soonya Vaadham.

 

2. The YogAchAryan stayed with the theory of the Phenomenality of

the world.

 

3. SauthrAnthikan represented that things being imperceptible are to be

inferred by their forms imprinted in the cognitions.

 

Buddhist's views of momentariness of all things (KshaNikathvam )

and the theory that substratum is no more than an aggregation of qualities

(nirAkArathvam ) are broadly present in all of the four Buddhistic Mathams.

 

Although momentary features can not be completely denied such as Cloud ,

flood et al , this does not lead to the conclusion that non-momentary

entities do not exist. Dr.Varadachary of the French Institute of Indology

points out in this context that Recognition proves that stability

(AakArathvam instead of nirAkArathvam) is at the basis of

the worldly things in most of the Vaidhika Mathams .

 

Coming back to SautrAntikan , he hods that the external objects like pot

and cloth are real but they can not however be directly percieved by

the senses . He states that these (pot or cloth) can only be inferred by

the cognition , which bears their " form " or " likeness " .

 

SautrAntikan 's view of the process of generation of a perception

and subsequent cognition is described by Dr.V.N.S Swamy this way :

 

" There are few requisites for every cognition: (1) Aalambana Pratyaya

(2) Samanantara Pratyaya (3) SahakAri Pratyaya and (4) Adipathi Pratyaya .

 

( Let us understand each of the four Pratyayas and their interrelationships)

 

(1) Aalambana pratyaya relates to the objects , which are

the causes of the cognitions in which , in the absence of those

objects , can not come in to being .

 

(2) Samanatara pratyaya is a cognition that enables the succeding

cognition to recieve the form of the external objects.

 

(3) SahakAri pratyaya refers to light etc. which are responsible in

making the cognition distinct with regard to its object. The absence of

light disables a person from having a clear apprehension of an object

placed in the darkness.Therefore light is sahakAri (assistive).

 

(4) Adhipathi pratyaya refers to the sense organs . It is the sense

organs that make the objects present their forms to the cognition

in the succeeding moment .

 

As the external objects present their forms to the Cognition , so do

the internal objects like pleasure, pain and hatred ; thus they too

become inferable . "

 

SautrAntikan's view is based on an untenable theory and has been

criticized by the other two Mathams associated with Buddhism

( YogAcharam and VaibhAshikam). AchArya RaamAnuja and

Swamy Desikan have soundly criticized the SautrAntrikan's theories

using Tarkam and VedAntham. Acharya Raamanuja asks the question :

" If things are contended to be MOMENTARY , the external things

would cease to exist in the moment of the presentation of their form to

the mind. In the absence of such a thing , how can its form alone

survive to be presented to the mind?

 

The unsoundness of the SautrAntikan's views is severely criticized by

Swamy Desikan in SarvArTa Siddhi and Para Matha Bhangam as

well as in the Desika Prabhandham carrying the same name.

 

We will take up those criticisms of Swamy Desikan in his Tamil

Prabhandham ( SoutrAntika BhangAdhikAram ) in the next

posting .

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil Varadachari Sadagopan

 

SrImate SrI Lakshminrusimha PaadhukA sEvaka

SrI Aadhi VaNN SaThakOpa SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra

MahA DesikAya Nama: