Thiruvaheendhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimakryam: Part 155 ( Desika Prabhandham-- 46: Paasurams 173-174

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SrI:

 

Dear Swamy Desika BhakthAs:

 

Today , we will study the two Paasurams dealing with

Swamy Desikan's criticism of the fourth of the Four

Mathams associated with Buddhism : VaibhAshikam .

 

Before studying the two Paasurams of Swamy Desikan on

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

VaibhAshikam as presented by U.Ve. Dr.V.N.SeshAdhriyAcchAr

Swamy ( Dr.V.N.S Swamy ) and his elder brother ,

U.Ve. V.N.SrIrAma DesikAcchAr Swamy :

 

" The Four Schools of Buddhism , namely , VaibhAshika ,

SautrAntika , YogAchAra and Maadhyamika , inspite of

many differences in their principles , have some aggrements

in their viewpoints :

 

(1) All entities are impermanent , transitory and in a continous

state of change (2) apart from the flow of cognitions , there is

no soul or aathman as the seat of cognition or consciousness.

Unlike the two latter Buddhists (YogAchara and MaadhyAmika) ,

the VaibhAshika and the SautrAntika hold both mental and

physical entities as real and existing . The VaibhAshika contends that

all external objects are real and apprehensible by perceptions

generated by the sense organs . Space and NirvANa are ,

according to him , eternal ; matter and mind which is not

an entity distinct from the so-called soul or atman ,

are impermanent and momentary. For the reason that some

entities are held as permanent and non-momentary ,

the VaibhAshika is condemned as a non-buddhist

even by his colleagues , who uphold the momentariness

of all existing entities.

 

The VaibhAshika is grouped with SautrAntika because

both of them maintain the reality of external things. Consequently,

they are both called Sarva-asti-vAdhins .The VaibhAshika objects

however to the contention of SautrAntika on the point of presentation

of a form by the external thing to the mind " .

 

173) Swamy Desikan's condemnation of VaibhAshikam

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KaaNkinravan ilai kAtcchiyum kaNDathum uNDu avai tAmm

yENN koNDana anRu ivaRRil guNamum nilayum ilai

sENN koNDa santhathiyAl sErnthum onRu yena niRkum yenRa

kONN koNDa kOLUrai VaibhAtikan kuRai kUruvamE

 

(Meaning ): VaibhAshika's doctrine are: (1) The Jn~AthA , who

knows the meaning is false ( poy aavAn) (2) Jn~Anam , and the entity

comprehended by the Jn~Anam are real entities(3) That Jn~Anam

and the vasthus comprehended by it are limitless(4) Both of them

however have no attributes (GuNams) (5) They do not stay permanent

and are destroyed in a moment. (6) Vasthus will stay as assemblies of

ParamANus ( sub-atomic entiites ).

 

Some weird and distorted inferences are made form this ParamAnu

theory of VaibhAshikan . According to him , although the ParamANus

are limitless , their assembly makes the entity of similar ParmANus

that we call as a Pot or the flame made up of similar ParamANus of

fire(microcosms of fire ) . Even if the sparks of flames are similar

ParamANus to make the mighty flame , it is confusing to extend

the instaneously perishing sarks to become an existign flame.

This kind of Vakra (distorted) rguments are criticized heavily

by Swamy Desikan in VaibhAshika BangAdhikAram .

 

(174) The contrast between Theory and Reality in VaibhAshikam

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kumbhiduvAr yAr yenRu tEduhinRAr

guNangaLayum tangaLuku kooRuhinRAr

tamm padiyai tamarkku urIaitthup-padivikkinRAr

tamakku ini mEl VeedenRu sAthikkinRAr

tamm pudavai uNal kuritthu nedithu yeNkinRAr

santhatikkut-tavam palikkat-tAmm pOhinRAr

sempadavar seyhinRa siRRinippaic-

chEvahap-paRRudanE nAmm sehtthittOmE

 

(Meaning ): VaibhAshikars accept Jn~Anam and vasthu

as real and yet reject guNams (attributes) in them and state

their existence is momentary. These doctrines counter their

behavior . VaibhAshikAs spend a lot of time and effort to

collect sishyAs for the sake of amassing wealth and glory .

They proclaim that they possess dispassion (VairAgyam )

and non-violence (ahimsA) . They instruct the sishyAs

about their doctrine that they will secure MOksham , the moment

their bodies fall down at the end of their life span . They take

a lot of trouble to amass wealth and food and worry quite

a bit on bodily matters. They state that they perform penance

for the upliftment of their sishyAs and family . All of these are

inconsistent with their doctrines that all entities are momentary

and these entities have no attributes. We (Swamy Desikan )

have refuted all these inconsitencies between the VaibhAshikA's

acts and their professed philosophies .

 

The use of the Tamil word in this Paasuram " Sempadavan " has

double meanings: (1) Sempadavar means fishermen . Hers the VaibhAshikAs

are compared to fishermen , who use their distorted logic to attract

the minds of the people to win them over to their doctrines

(2) Sem+padavar means one , who wears ochre robes ( KaashAyam).

 

Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil Varadachari Sadagopan

 

SrImate SrI Lakshminrusimha PaadhukA sEvaka

SrI Aadhi VaNN SaThakOpa SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra

MahA DesikAya Nama: