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11-17 Vaisesika: the atomic basis of reality |
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18-27 Sarvastivada Buddhism: aggregates of momentarily composed objects; |
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28-31 Vijnanavada Buddhism: the construction of non-conscious reality by consciousness alone;
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31 Sunyavada Buddhism: the total denial of nonconscious reality;66 |
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Second, there are positions which subordinate the non-conscious to the conscious, but without denying the role of the former: |
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33-36 Jainism: the status of the nonconscious dependent on consciousness, in all of its diverse positionings; |
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37-41 Mahesvara Saivism: a conscious lord who is the efficient cause, but not substantial cause, of the world;67 |
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42-45 Pañcaratra Vaisnavism: a lord who both efficient and substantial cause, but only in a series of differentiated forms. |
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Third, overshadowing the pada though not restated in it, is Advaita, according to which Brahman alone, in its utter simplicity, is the efficient and substantial cause of the universe. |
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Let us summarize the apparent rationale for this line-up, while readily conceding that the represented schools might well have other views of the issues involved or of how to present themselves. In the first series, the movement is from "materialism," exemplified by the gross nonconscious principle of the Samkhya, in which the appearance of consciousness in the world is explained as a derivative of matter, to "spiritualism," the gross intellectualism of the Sunyavada in which nonconsciousness is entirely explained away; in between lie Vaisesika atomism and the forms of Buddhism which allow for momentary forms of material nonconsciousness. Despite their differences, these positions have in common their failure to present a true causal relationship between the conscious and the nonconscious, as one or |
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