印度哲学思想的阶梯
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中文
1→印度教哲学思想的步骤 2→ 3→我们所见到的第一类宗教思想——我所指的是公认的宗教思想，而非那些不配称为宗教的低级观念——皆包含启示与天启经典等概念。第一类宗教思想以神的观念为出发点。这里是宇宙，这个宇宙由某一存在所创造。宇宙中的一切皆由祂所创造。随后，在较后的阶段，灵魂的观念也随之而来——在这个身体之内，有某种既非身体、又异于身体的东西。这是我们所知最原始的宗教观念。在印度，我们尚能找到少数持此观念者，但这种观念很早便已被放弃。印度的各种宗教呈现出一种独特的起点。只有通过严密的分析、大量的推算与推测，我们才能想象这一阶段曾存在于印度的宗教之中。我们所能把握的有形状态乃是下一步，而非第一步。在最早的阶段，创造的观念颇为独特，即整个宇宙由神意自虚无中创生；这一切宇宙原本不存在，而一切皆从这虚无之中涌现。在下一阶段，我们发现这一结论受到质疑。存在如何能从非存在中产生？在吠檀多（Vedanta）的第一步，这一问题便已被提出。若此宇宙是存在的，它必定源于某物，因为人们很容易看出，无中不能生有，此乃放之四海而皆准之理。人类双手所完成的一切工作皆需材料。若一所房屋被建造，材料必先存在；若一艘船只被制造，材料必先存在；若任何器具被制造，材料必先存在。如此，效果方能产生。因此，宇宙由虚无创造的最初观念，理所当然地被摒弃了，人们开始寻求创造此世界所需的某种材料。宗教的整个历史，实际上就是对这种材料的探寻。 4→ 5→这一切是从何而生的？除了动力因即神的问题之外，除了神创造宇宙的问题之外，一切问题中最根本的大问题是：祂是用什么来创造它的？所有的哲学皆在围绕这一问题旋转。其中一种解答是：自性（Prakriti）、神与灵魂是永恒的存在，仿佛三条线永恒地平行延伸，其中自性与灵魂构成了他们所称的依存者，而神则是独立的实在。每一个灵魂，如同物质的每一个粒子，皆完全依附于神的意志之下。在进入其他步骤之前，我们先来探讨灵魂的观念，然后会发现，所有吠檀多哲学家与一切西方哲学有一个巨大的不同之处。他们拥有共同的心理学。无论其哲学如何，在印度，他们的心理学是相同的，即古老的数论（Sankhya）心理学。根据这一学说，感知的发生，是通过振动的传递——振动首先到达外在感官，再从外在感官传至内在器官，从内在器官传至意根（心），从意根传至觉智（Buddhi），再从觉智传至被他们称为真我（Atman）的某种统一体。参照现代生理学，我们知道，它已为所有不同的感觉发现了中枢。首先发现较低级的中枢，然后是更高级的中枢，这两类中枢恰好对应内在器官与意根，然而，尚未发现一个能统御所有其他中枢的单一中枢。因此，生理学无法说明是什么将所有中枢统一起来。这些中枢在哪里汇聚？大脑中的各个中枢各不相同，并不存在一个统御所有其他中枢的中枢；所以，就目前而言，印度心理学在这一点上是无可挑战的。我们必须有这种统一，有某种东西，使感觉能在其上得以映照，从而形成一个完整的整体。除非有那种某物，否则我无法对你、对一幅图画或对任何其他事物形成任何观念。若我们没有那种统一的某物，我们就只会看，然后呼吸，然后听，如此等等，而当我听到一个人说话时，我根本看不见他，因为所有中枢各自独立。 6→ 7→这个身体是由我们称为物质的粒子构成的，它是迟钝而无知觉的。吠檀多论者所谓的精微身亦然。精微身（the fine body），据他们说，是一种物质性的但却透明的身体，由极其细微的粒子构成，细微到任何显微镜都看不见。它有何用处？它是精微力量的容器。正如这粗糙的身体是粗糙力量的容器一样，精微身是精微力量的容器，我们称之为思想，以其各种变化形式呈现。首先是身体，它是粗糙的物质，具有粗糙的力量。力量不能脱离物质而存在。力量必须依托某种物质而存在，所以较粗糙的力量在身体中运作；而那些同样的力量变得更为精微；以粗糙形式运作的那种力量，以精微形式运作，便成为思想。它们之间并无区别，不过是同一事物的粗糙与精微两种显现而已。精微身与粗糙身之间也同样没有区别。精微身同样是物质性的，只是物质极为细微；正如这粗糙的身体是运作粗糙力量的工具，精微身是运作精微力量的工具。所有这些力量从何而来？根据吠檀多哲学，自性之中有两种东西，其一被他们称为虚空（Akasha），它是无限精微的本质，另一被称为普拉纳（Prana），它是力量。你所见、所感、所听的一切，如空气、土地或任何事物，皆是物质性的——是虚空的产物。它不断变化，在普拉纳的作用下变得越来越精微或越来越粗糙。如同虚空一样，普拉纳也是无处不在、遍及一切的。虚空犹如水，宇宙中的一切其他事物犹如由那水构成、漂浮于水中的冰块，而普拉纳是将这虚空变化为一切各种形式的力量。粗糙的身体是由虚空构成的工具，用于以肌肉运动、行走、坐立、言谈等粗糙形式显现普拉纳。精微身同样由虚空构成，是极为精微的虚空形式，用于以思想的精微形式显现同一普拉纳。所以，首先有这粗糙的身体，在它之外是这精微身，在精微身之外是命我（Jiva），即真正的人。正如指甲可以多次被剪去，但仍然是我们身体的一部分，并无不同，我们的粗糙身体与精微身的关系亦然。并非是说一个人既有精微身又有粗糙身；它只是同一个身体，耐久部分是精微身，较快消解的是粗糙的。正如我可以多次剪这指甲，我也可以无数次地脱去这粗糙的身体，但精微身将依然长存。根据二元论者的观点，这命我即真正的人，是极其细微而微小的。 8→ 9→至此我们看到，人是这样一种存在：首先拥有迅速消解的粗糙身体，然后拥有经历无数劫而长存的精微身，然后是命我。这命我，根据吠檀多哲学，是永恒的，正如神是永恒的一样。自性亦是永恒的，但却是变化地永恒。自性的材料——普拉纳与虚空——是永恒的，但它永恒地变化为不同的形式。然而命我既非由虚空构成，也非由普拉纳构成；它是非物质性的，因此将永远长存。它不是普拉纳与虚空任何组合的结果，而凡是非组合结果之物，将永远不会被毁灭，因为毁灭就是回归原因。粗糙的身体是虚空与普拉纳的复合物，因此将被分解。精微身在经历漫长岁月后也将被分解，但命我是单纯的，永远不会被毁灭。它也从未被生，理由相同。没有任何单纯之物能够被生。同样的论证适用于此。只有复合之物才能被生。包含数百万灵魂的整个自性，皆在神的意志之下。神是遍及一切的、全知的、无形的，祂日夜通过自性运作。一切皆在祂的掌控之下。祂是永恒的主宰。二元论者如是说。然后这个问题随之而来：若神是这宇宙的主宰，为何祂创造了这样一个邪恶的宇宙，为何我们必须受如此多的苦？他们说，这并非神的过失。我们受苦是我们自己的过失。我们播下什么，就收获什么。祂没有做任何事情来惩罚我们。人或贫穷而生，或盲目而生，或以其他某种方式降生。这是什么原因？他之前做了某些事情，他就以那种方式降生。命我自始至终一直存在，从未被创造。它一直在做各种各样的事情。我们所做的一切都会反作用于我们。若我们行善，我们将获得幸福；若行恶，则获得不幸。如此，命我不断地享受与受苦，做各种各样的事情。 10→ 11→死后会发生什么？所有这些吠檀多哲学家都承认，这命我按其本性是纯洁的。但无明（ignorance）遮蔽了它的真实本性，他们说。正如通过恶业（evil deeds）它以无明覆蔽了自身，通过善业（good deeds）它重新认识到自己的本性。正如它是永恒的，其本性也是纯洁的。每一存在的本性都是纯洁的。 12→ 13→当通过善业，所有的罪业与恶行都被洗净之后，命我再次变得纯洁，当它变得纯洁时，它就前往所谓的天道（Devayana）。它的言语器官进入意根。没有语言便无法思维。凡有思想之处，必有语言。随着语言进入意根，意根便融入普拉纳，普拉纳融入命我。然后命我迅速离开身体，前往太阳的领域。这宇宙有一个又一个的界域。这地球是世界界域，其中有月亮、太阳与星辰。在那之外是太阳界域，在太阳界域之外还有另一个界域，他们称之为月亮界域。在那之外还有一个界域，他们称之为闪电界域，即电气界域，当命我到达那里时，一位已然圆满的命我前来迎接它，将其带往另一个世界，即被称为梵界（Brahmaloka）的最高天界，命我在那里永恒居住，不再生，不再死。它在永恒中享乐，获得各种力量，除创造的力量之外。宇宙只有一个主宰，那就是神。没有人能成为神；二元论者坚持认为，若说你就是神，那是亵渎神明。除创造力之外的所有力量皆来到命我这里，若它愿意拥有身体并在世界不同地方工作，它可以这样做。若它命令所有诸神前来，若它希望祖先降临，他们皆奉命而至。它的力量是如此之大，使其再也不感受任何痛苦，若它愿意，可以在梵界永恒居住。这是最高的人，已获得对神的爱，已变得完全无私、完全净化，已舍弃一切欲望，除了礼拜和爱神之外，不愿做任何其他事情。 14→ 15→还有另一些人不那么高尚，他们行善，但希望有所回报。他们说，他们将为穷人给予这么多，但作为回报，他们希望上天堂。当他们死去时，他们会发生什么？言语进入意根，意根进入普拉纳，普拉纳进入命我，命我离开身体，前往月亮界域，在那里度过相当长一段愉快的时光。在那里，它享受幸福，直至其善业的效果延续之际。当同样的效果耗尽时，它下降，再次依据其欲望进入地球上的生命。在月亮界域中，命我成为我们所称的神，或基督徒和穆斯林所称的天使。这些神是某些位置的名称；例如，众神之王因陀罗（Indra）是一个位置的名称；数以千计的人获得那个位置。当一位履行了最高吠陀仪式的善良之人死去时，他就成为众神之王；那时旧的国王已经下降，再次成为人。正如人世间的国王更迭，众神（Devas）也必须死去。在天界，他们都将死去。唯一不死之地是梵界，只有在那里才没有生与死。 16→ 17→所以命我们前往天界，度过一段相当愉快的时光，只是偶尔受到魔众的追扰。在我们的神话中，据说有魔众，有时会困扰众神。在所有的神话中，你都会读到这些魔众与众神之间的战斗，魔众有时征服了众神，尽管在许多时候，似乎魔众所做的恶事并不比众神多多少。例如，在所有神话中，你都会发现天神们喜爱女性。所以当他们的报酬耗尽后，他们再次下降，穿过云层，随雨水而降，并进入某种谷物或植物之中，当谷物或植物被人食用时，他们便进入人体之中。父亲给予他们获得合适身体的材料。当材料不再适合他们时，他们必须为自己制造其他身体。现在有一些极为邪恶的人，做各种各样的魔鬼行径；他们再次转生为动物，若他们非常坏，就会转生为极低等的动物，或成为植物，或成为石头。 18→ 19→在天神的形态中，他们根本不造业（Karma）；只有人才造业。业（Karma）意味着将产生效果的行为。当一个人死去成为天神时，他只有一段享乐时期，在此期间不造任何新业；那只是对他过去善业的报酬。当善业耗尽时，其余的业便开始发生作用，他回到地球。他再次成为人，若他行很好的善行，净化自身，他就前往梵界，不再返回。 20→ 21→动物状态是命我从较低形式进化时的一个暂住之所。随着时间的推移，动物成为人。有一个重要的事实是，随着人类人口的增长，动物的数量在减少。动物的灵魂都在成为人。许多种动物已经成为人。它们还会去哪里呢？ 22→ 23→在《吠陀》（Vedas）中，没有提到地狱。但我们的《往世书》（Puranas），即我们较后期的经典，认为任何宗教若不附有地狱则不完整，于是发明了各种各样的地狱。在其中一些地狱中，人被锯成两半，不断地遭受折磨，但却不会死去。他们持续感受强烈的痛苦，但这些经典仁慈地说，这只是一段时期。恶业在那种状态下被消耗掉，然后他们回到地球，得到另一次机会。所以人的形态是这个大机会。它被称为业力体（Karma-body），我们在其中决定自己的命运。我们在一个巨大的圆圈中奔跑，而这就是圆圈上决定未来的那个点。所以这被认为是存在的最重要的形式。人比诸神更伟大。
1→就纯粹的二元论而言，到此为止。接下来是更高层次的吠檀多哲学，它认为此论不可成立。神既是这宇宙的质料因，也是动力因。如果你说有一位神，祂是无限的存在，还有一个灵魂，它也是无限的，还有一个自性，它同样是无限的，你就可以无止境地叠加无限，这完全是荒谬的；你摧毁了所有逻辑。所以神既是宇宙的质料因，也是动力因；祂从自身中展开这个宇宙。那么，神怎么会成为这些墙壁和这张桌子，神怎么会成为猪、凶手以及世界上一切邪恶的事物？我们说神是纯洁的。祂怎么会成为这些堕落之物？我们的回答是：正如我是一个灵魂，有一个身体，从某种意义上说，这个身体与我并无不同，然而真正的我实际上并非是身体。例如，我说，我是一个孩子，一个年轻人，或一个老人，但我的灵魂没有改变。它保持同一个灵魂。同样，整个宇宙，包括所有自性与无数的灵魂，可以说是神的无限身体。祂遍透其中。只有祂是不变的，但自性在变化，灵魂也在变化。祂不受自性与灵魂变化的影响。自性以何种方式变化？在其形式上；它采取新的形式。但灵魂不能以那种方式变化。灵魂在知识上收缩与扩张。它因恶业而收缩。那些收缩灵魂真实的本然知识与纯洁的行为，称为恶行。那些再次显发灵魂本然荣耀的行为，称为善行。所有这些灵魂原本都是纯洁的，但它们已经收缩；通过神的慈悲，以及通过行善，它们将扩张并恢复其本然的纯洁。每个人都有同等的机会，从长远来看，都必定会得解脱（Moksha）。但这宇宙不会终止，因为它是永恒的。这是第二种理论。第一种称为二元论（Dvaita）。第二种认为，有神、灵魂与自性，灵魂与自性构成神的身体，因此这三者构成一个整体。它代表了宗教发展的一个更高阶段，被称为限定不二论（Vishishtadvaita）。在二元论中，宇宙被设想为一台由神启动运转的大机器，而在限定不二论中，它被设想为一个由神圣真我贯透的有机体。 2→ 3→最后是不二论者（the non-dualists）。他们同样提出，神必须既是宇宙的质料因，也是动力因。因此，神已成为整个宇宙，这是无可辩驳的。当那些其他人说神是灵魂，宇宙是身体，身体在变化，但神是不变的时候，不二论者说，这一切都是无稽之谈。在那种情况下，称神为宇宙的质料因有何用处？质料因是成为结果的原因；结果不过是原因以另一种形式的再现。每当你看到一个结果，它就是原因的再现。若宇宙是结果，神是原因，那么它必定是神的再现。若你说宇宙是神的身体，而身体变得收缩、精细，成为原因，从中宇宙得以展开，不二论者说，是神自身已成为这个宇宙。现在来了一个极为精微的问题。如果这位神已成为这个宇宙，那么你和所有这些事物都是神。当然。这本书是神，一切都是神。我的身体是神，我的心是神，我的灵魂是神。那么为什么会有这么多命我？神被分裂成数百万个命我了吗？那一个神会变成数百万个命我吗？那么这是如何发生的？那无限的力量与本质，宇宙的那唯一存在，怎么可能被分割？分割无限是不可能的。那纯洁的存在怎么能成为这个宇宙？如果祂已成为宇宙，祂就是可变的，如果祂是可变的，祂就是自性的一部分，而凡是属于自性、可变的，皆有生有死。如果我们的神是可变的，祂总有一天会死。请注意这一点。另外，神的多少已成为这个宇宙？如果你说是X（未知的代数量），那么神现在是神减去X，因此与这次创造之前的神不同，因为那么多已成为这个宇宙。 4→ 5→所以不二论者说：「这个宇宙根本不存在；这一切都是幻相（Maya）。这整个宇宙，这些天神，诸神，天使，以及一切其他生死轮回的存在，这数不尽的灵魂升起又降落，都不过是梦境。」根本没有命我。怎么可能有众多？它是唯一的无限。如同一个太阳映照在各种水面上，似乎是许多个太阳，数百万个水滴映照出数百万个太阳，每个水滴中都有太阳的完整映像，然而只有一个太阳；所有这些命我不过是映照在不同意识中的倒影。这些不同的意识就像许多不同的水滴，映照着这唯一的存在。神在所有这些不同的命我中被映照。但梦境不能没有实在，而那实在就是那唯一的无限存在。你，作为身体、心识或灵魂，都是梦境，但你真正所是的，是存在、知识、极乐（Existence, Knowledge, Bliss）。你是这宇宙的神。你在创造整个宇宙并将其收摄回来。不二论（Advaita）如是说。所以所有这些生死、来去，都是幻相（Maya）的幻象。你是无限的。你能去哪里？太阳、月亮与整个宇宙不过是你超然本性中的水滴。你怎么可能生或死？我从未生，永远不会生。我从未有过父亲或母亲，朋友或仇人，因为我是绝对的存在、知识、极乐。我就是祂，我就是祂。那么，按照这种哲学，目标是什么？那些接受这一知识的人与宇宙为一。对他们而言，所有的天界，甚至梵界都被摧毁，整个梦境消散，他们发现自己是宇宙的永恒的神。他们获得了真正的个性，具有无限的知识与极乐，并获得了自由。对微小事物的快乐停止了。我们在这个微小的身体中，在这种微小的个性中寻找快乐。当这整个宇宙是我的身体时，快乐将是多么伟大啊！如果在一个身体中有快乐，当所有身体都是我的时，将有多少快乐！那时，自由便获得了。这便称为不二论，即非二元论的吠檀多哲学。 6→ 7→这就是吠檀多哲学所迈出的三个步骤，我们不能走得更远，因为我们不能超越统一。当一门科学达到统一时，它就绝无可能走得更远了。你不能超越绝对的观念。 8→ 9→并非所有人都能接受这种不二论哲学；它是困难的。首先，要从理智上理解它是非常困难的。它需要最锐利的智识，一种大胆的理解力。其次，它不适合绝大多数人。所以有这三个步骤。从第一步开始。然后通过思考与理解它，第二步将自然展开。正如一个种族不断进步，个人也必须不断前进。人类为达到宗教思想的最高顶峰而迈出的步骤，每个人都必须走过。只是，人类用了数百万年才从一步走到另一步，而个人可能在远短得多的时间内经历人类整个历史的过程。但我们每个人都必须经历这些步骤。你们中那些持不二论者，回顾你们生命中作为强烈二元论者的那段时光。一旦你认为自己是身体和心识，你就必须接受这整个梦境。若你接受其中一部分，你就必须接受全部。那个说，这里是这个世界，却没有（人格性的）神的人，是愚蠢的；因为若有世界，就必定有原因，这就是所谓的神。你不能不知道有原因而拥有结果。只有当这个世界消失时，神才会消失；那时你将成为神（绝对），这个世界对你而言将不再存在。只要你是一个身体的梦境存在，你就必定会看到自己正在生死；但一旦那个梦境消散，关于你正在生死的梦境也将消散，宇宙存在的另一个梦境也将随之消散。我们现在所见的宇宙，将对我们显现为神（绝对），而那位长久以来一直是外在的神，将显现为内在的，作为我们自己的真我（Self）。
English
Steps Of Hindu Philosophic Thought
The first group of religious ideas that we see coming up — I mean recognised religious ideas, and not the very low ideas, which do not deserve the name of religion — all include the idea of inspiration and revealed books and so forth. The first group of religious ideas starts with the idea of God. Here is the universe, and this universe is created by a certain Being. Everything that is in this universe has been created by Him. Along with that, at a later stage, comes the idea of soul — that there is this body, and something inside this body which is not the body. This is the most primitive idea of religion that we know. We can find a few followers of that in India, but it was given up very early. The Indian religions take a peculiar start. It is only by strict analysis, and much calculation and conjecture, that we can ever think that that stage existed in Indian religions. The tangible state in which we find them is the next step, not the first one. At the earliest step the idea of creation is very peculiar, and it is that the whole universe is created out of zero, at the will of God; that all this universe did not exist, and out of this nothingness all this has come. In the next stage we find this conclusion is questioned. How can existence be produced out of nonexistence? At the first step in the Vedanta this question is asked. If this universe is existent it must have come out of something, because it was very easy to see that nothing comes out of nothing, anywhere. All work that is done by human hands requires materials. If a house is built, the material was existing before; if a boat is made the material existed before; if any implements are made, the materials were existing before. So the effect is produced. Naturally, therefore, the first idea that this world was created out of nothing was rejected, and some material out of which this world was created was wanted. The whole history of religion, in fact, is this search after that material.
Out of what has all this been produced? Apart from the question of the efficient cause, or God, apart from the question that God created the universe, the great question of all questions is: Out of what did He create it? All the philosophies are turning, as it were, on this question. One solution is that nature, God, and soul are eternal existences, as if three lines are running parallel eternally, of which nature and soul comprise what they call the dependent, and God the independent Reality. Every soul, like every particle of matter, is perfectly dependent on the will of God. Before going to the other steps we will take up the idea of soul, and then find that with all the Vedantic philosophers, there is one tremendous departure from all Western philosophy. All of them have a common psychology. Whatever their philosophy may have been, their psychology is the same in India, the old Sânkhya psychology. According to this, perception occurs by the transmission of the vibrations which first come to the external sense-organs, from the external to the internal organs, from the internal organs to the mind, from the mind to the Buddhi, from the Buddhi or intellect, to something which is a unit, which they call the Âtman. Coming to modern physiology, we know that it has found centres for all the different sensations. First it finds the lower centres, and then a higher grade of centres, and these two centres exactly correspond with the internal organs and the mind, but not one centre has been found which controls all the other centres. So physiology cannot tell what unifies all these centres. Where do the centres get united? The centres in the brain are all different. and there is not one centre which controls all the other centres; therefore, so far as it goes, the Indian psychology stands unchallenged upon this point. We must have this unification, some thing upon which the sensations will be reflected, to form a complete whole. Until there is that something, I cannot have any idea of you, or a picture, or anything else. If we had not that unifying something, we would only see, then after a while breathe, then hear, and so on, and while I heard a man talking I would not see him at all, because all the centres are different.
This body is made of particles which we call matter, and it is dull and insentient. So is what the Vedantists call the fine body. The fine body, according to them, is a material but transparent body, made of very fine particles, so fine that no microscope can see them. What is the use of that? It is the receptacle of the fine forces. Just as this gross body is the receptacle of the gross forces, so the fine body is the receptacle of the fine forces, which we call thought, in its various modifications. First is the body, which is gross matter, with gross force. Force cannot exist without matter. It must require some matter to exist, so the grosser forces work in the body; and those very forces become finer; the very force which is working in a gross form, works in a fine form, and becomes thought. There is no distinction between them, simply one is the gross and the other the fine manifestation of the same thing. Neither is there any distinction between this fine body and the gross body. The fine body is also material, only very fine matter; and just as this gross body is the instrument that works the gross forces, so the fine body is the instrument that works the fine forces. From where do all these forces come? According to Vedanta philosophy, there are two things in nature, one of which they call Âkâsha, which is the substance, infinitely fine, and the other they call Prâna, which is the force. Whatever you see, or feel, or hear, as air, earth, or anything, is material — the product of Akasha. It goes on and becomes finer and finer, or grosser and grosser, changing under the action of Prana. Like Akasha, Prana is omnipresent, and interpenetrating everything. Akasha is like the water, and everything else in the universe is like blocks of ice, made out of that water, and floating in the water, and Prana is the power that changes this Akasha into all these various forms. The gross body is the instrument made out of Akasha, for the manifestation of Prana in gross forms, as muscular motion, or walking, sitting, talking, and so forth. That fine body is also made of Akasha, a very fine form of Akasha, for the manifestation of the same Prana in the finer form of thought. So, first there is this gross body. Beyond that is this fine body, and beyond that is the Jiva, the real man. Just as the nails can be pared off many times and yet are still part of our bodies, not different, so is our gross body related to the fine. It is not that a man has a fine and also a gross body; it is the one body only, the part which endures longer is the fine body, and that which dissolves sooner is the gross. Just as I can cut this nail any number of times, so, millions of times I can shed this gross body, but the fine body will remain. According to the dualists, this Jiva or the real man is very fine, minute.
So far we see that man is a being, who has first a gross body which dissolves very quickly, then a fine body which remains through aeons, and then a Jiva. This Jiva, according to the Vedanta philosophy, is eternal, just as God is eternal. Nature is also eternal, but changefully eternal. The material of nature — Prana and Akasha — is eternal, but it is changing into different forms eternally. But the Jiva is not manufactured either of Akasha or Prana; it is immaterial and, therefore, will remain for ever. It is not the result of any combination of Prana and Akasha, and whatever is not the result of combination, will never be destroyed, because destruction is going back to causes. The gross body is a compound of Akasha and Prana and, therefore, will be decomposed. The fine body will also be decomposed, after a long time, but the Jiva is simple, and will never be destroyed. It was never born for the same reason. Nothing simple can be born. The same argument applies. That which is a compound only can be born. The whole of nature comprising millions and millions of souls is under the will of God. God is all-pervading, omniscient, formless, and He is working through nature day and night. The whole of it is under His control. He is the eternal Ruler. So say the dualists. Then the question comes: If God is the ruler of this universe, why did He create such a wicked universe, why must we suffer so much? They say, it is not God's fault. It is our fault that we suffer. Whatever we sow we reap. He did not do anything to punish us. Man is born poor, or blind, or some other way. What is the reason? He had done something before, he was born that way. The Jiva has been existing for all time, was never created. It has been doing all sorts of things all the time. Whatever we do reacts upon us. If we do good, we shall have happiness, and if evil, unhappiness. So the Jiva goes on enjoying and suffering, and doing all sorts of things.
What comes after death? All these Vedanta philosophers admit that this Jiva is by its own nature pure. But ignorance covers its real nature, they say. As by evil deeds it has covered itself with ignorance, so by good deeds it becomes conscious of its own nature again. Just as it is eternal, so its nature is pure. The nature of every being is pure.
When through good deeds all its sins and misdeeds have been washed away, then the Jiva becomes pure again, and when it becomes pure, it goes to what is called Devayâna. Its organ of speech enters the mind. You cannot think without words. Wherever there is thought, there must be words. As words enter the mind, so the mind is resolved into the Prana, and the Prana into the Jiva. Then the Jiva gets quickly out of the body, and goes to the solar regions. This universe has sphere after sphere. This earth is the world sphere, in which are moons, suns, and stars. Beyond that here is the solar sphere, and beyond that another which they call the lunar sphere. Beyond that there is the sphere which they call the sphere of lightning, the electric sphere, and when the Jiva goes there, there comes another Jiva, already perfect, to receive it, and takes it to another world, the highest heaven, called the Brahmaloka, where the Jiva lives eternally, no more to be born or to die. It enjoys through eternity, and gets all sorts of powers, except the power of creation. There is only one ruler of the universe, and that is God. No one can become God; the dualists maintain that if you say you are God, it is a blasphemy. All powers except the creative come to the Jiva, and if it likes to have bodies, and work in different parts of the world, it can do so. If it orders all the gods to come before it, if it wants its forefathers to come, they all appear at its command. Such are its powers that it never feels any more pain, and if it wants, it can live in the Brahmaloka through all eternity. This is the highest man, who has attained the love of God, who has become perfectly unselfish, perfectly purified, who has given up all desires, and who does not want to do anything except worship and love God.
There are others that are not so high, who do good works, but want some reward. They say they will give so much to the poor, but want to go to heaven in return. When they die, what becomes of them? The speech enters the mind, the mind enters the Prana, the Prana enters the Jiva, and the Jiva gets out, and goes to the lunar sphere, where it has a very good time for a long period. There it enjoys happiness, so long as the effect of its good deeds endures. When the same is exhausted, it descends, and once again enters life on earth according to its desires. In the lunar sphere the Jiva becomes what we call a god, or what the Christians or Mohammedans call an angel. These gods are the names of certain positions; for instance, Indra, the king of the gods, is the name of a position; thousands of men get to that position. When a virtuous man who has performed the highest of Vedic rites dies, he becomes a king of the gods; by that time the old king has gone down again, and become man. Just as kings change here, so the gods, the Devas, also have to die. In heaven they will all die. The only deathless place is Brahmaloka, where alone there is no birth and death.
So the Jivas go to heaven, and have a very good time, except now and then when the demons give them chase. In our mythology it is said there are demons, who sometimes trouble the gods. In all mythologies, you read how these demons and the gods fought, and the demons sometimes conquered the gods, although many times, it seems, the demons did not do so many wicked things as the gods. In all mythologies, for instance, you find the Devas fond of women. So after their reward is finished, they fall down again, come through the clouds, through the rains, and thus get into some grain or plant and find their way into the human body, when the grain or plant is eaten by men. The father gives them the material out of which to get a fitting body. When the material suits them no longer, they have to manufacture other bodies. Now there are the very wicked fellows, who do, all sorts of diabolical things; they are born again as animals, and if they are very bad, they are born as very low animals, or become plants, or stones.
In the Deva form they make no Karma at all; only man makes Karma. Karma means work which will produce effect. When a man dies and becomes a Deva, he has only a period of pleasure, and during that time makes no fresh Karma; it is simply a reward for his past good Karma. When the good Karma is worked out, then the remaining Karma begins to take effect, and he comes down to earth. He becomes man again, and if he does very good works, and purifies himself, he goes to Brahmaloka and comes back no more.
The animal is a state of sojourn for the Jiva evolving from lower forms. In course of time the animal becomes man. It is a significant fact that as the human population is increasing, the animal population is decreasing. The animal souls are all becoming men. So many species of animals have become men already. Where else have they gone?
In the Vedas, there is no mention of hell. But our Purânas, the later books of our scriptures, thought that no religion could be complete, unless hells were attached to it, and so they invented all sorts of hells. In some of these, men are sawed in half, and continually tortured, but do not die. They are continually feeling intense pain, but the books are merciful enough to say it is only for a period. Bad Karma is worked out in that state and then they come back on earth, and get another chance. So this human form is the great chance. It is called the Karma-body, in which we decide our fate. We are running in a huge circle, and this is the point in the circle which determines the future. So this is considered the most important form that there is. Man is greater than the gods.
So far with dualism, pure and simple. Next comes the higher Vedantic philosophy which says, that this cannot be. God is both the material and the efficient cause of this universe. If you say there is a God who is an infinite Being, and a soul which is also infinite, and a nature which is also infinite, you can go on multiplying infinites without limit which is simply absurd; you smash all logic. So God is both the material and the efficient cause of the universe; He projects this universe out of Himself. Then how is it that God has become these walls and this table, that God has become the pig, and the murderer, and all the evil things in the world? We say that God is pure. How can He become all these degenerate things? Our answer is: just as I am a soul and have a body, and in a sense, this body is not different from me, yet I, the real I, in fact, am not the body. For instance, I say, I am a child, a young man, or an old man, but my soul has not changed. It remains the same soul. Similarly, the whole universe, comprising all nature and an infinite number of souls, is, as it were, the infinite body of God. He is inter penetrating the whole of it. He alone is unchangeable, but nature changes, and soul changes. He is unaffected by changes in nature and soul. In what way does nature change? In its forms; it takes fresh forms. But the soul cannot change that way. The soul contracts and expands in knowledge. It contracts by evil deeds. Those deeds which contract the real natural knowledge and purity of the soul are called evil deeds. Those deeds, again, which bring out the natural glory of the soul, are called good deeds. All these souls were pure, but they have become contracted; through the mercy of God, and by doing good deeds, they will expand and recover their natural purity. Everyone has the same chance, and in the long run, must get out. But this universe will not cease, because it is eternal. This is the second theory. The first is called dualism. The second holds that there are God, soul, and nature, and soul and nature form the body of God, and, therefore, these three form one unit. It represents a higher stage of religious development and goes by the name of qualified monism. In dualism, the universe is conceived as a large machine set going by God while in qualified monism, it is conceived as an organism, inter penetrated by the Divine Self.
The last are the non-dualists. They raise the question also, that God must be both the material and the efficient cause of this universe. As such, God has become the whole of this universe and there is no going against it. And when these other people say that God is the soul, and the universe is the body, and the body is changing, but God is changeless, the non-dualists say, all this is nonsense. In that case what is the use of calling God the material cause of this universe? The material cause is the cause become effect; the effect is nothing but the cause in another form. Wherever you see an effect, it is the cause reproduced. If the universe is the effect, and God the cause, it must be the reproduction of God. If you say that the universe is the body of God, and that the body becomes contracted and fine and becomes the cause, and out of that the universe is evolved, the non-dualists say that it is God Himself who has become this universe. Now comes a very fine question. If this God has become this universe, you and all these things are God. Certainly. This book is God, everything is God. My body is God, and my mind is God, and my soul is God. Then why are there so many Jivas? Has God become divided into millions of Jivas? Does that one God turn into millions of Jivas? Then how did it become so? How can that infinite power and substance, the one Being of the universe, become divided? It is impossible to divide infinity. How can that pure Being become this universe? If He has become the universe, He is changeful, and if He is changeful, He is part of nature, and whatever is nature and changeful is born and dies. If our God is changeful, He must die some day. Take note of that. Again, how much of God has become this universe ? If you say X (the unknown algebraical quantity), then God is God minus X now, and, therefore, not the same God as before this creation, because so much has become this universe.
So the non-dualists say, "This universe does not exist at all; it is all illusion. The whole of this universe, these Devas, gods, angels, and all the other beings born and dying, all this infinite number of souls coming up and going down, are all dreams." There is no Jiva at all. How can there be many? It is the one Infinity. As the one sun, reflected on various pieces of water, appears to be many, and millions of globules of water reflect so many millions of suns, and in each globule will be a perfect image of the sun, yet there is only one sun, so are all these Jivas but reflections in different minds. These different minds are like so many different globules, reflecting this one Being. God is being reflected in all these different Jivas. But a dream cannot be without a reality, and that reality is that one Infinite Existence. You, as body, mind, or soul, are a dream, but what you really are, is Existence, Knowledge, Bliss. You are the God of this universe. You are creating the whole universe and drawing it in. Thus says the Advaitist. So all these births and rebirths, coming and going are the figments of Mâyâ. You are infinite. Where can you go? The sun, the moon, and the whole universe are but drops in your transcendent nature. How can you be born or die? I never was born, never will be born. I never had father or mother, friends or foes, for I am Existence, Knowledge, Bliss Absolute. I am He, I am He. So, what is the goal, according to this philosophy? That those who receive this knowledge are one with the universe. For them, all heavens and even Brahmaloka are destroyed, the whole dream vanishes, and they find themselves the eternal God of the universe. They attain their real individuality, with its infinite knowledge and bliss, and become free. Pleasures in little things cease. We are finding pleasure in this little body, in this little individuality. How much greater the pleasure when this whole universe is my body! If there is pleasure in one body, how much more when all bodies are mine! Then is freedom attained. And this is called Advaita, the non-dualistic Vedanta philosophy.
These are the three steps which Vedanta philosophy has taken, and we cannot go any further, because we cannot go beyond unity. When a science reaches a unity, it cannot by any manner of means go any further. You cannot go beyond this idea of the Absolute.
All people cannot take up this Advaita philosophy; it is hard. First of all, it is very hard to understand it intellectually. It requires the sharpest of intellects, a bold understanding. Secondly, it does not suit the vast majority of people. So there are these three steps. Begin with the first one. Then by thinking of that and understanding it, the second will open itself. Just as a race advances, so individuals have to advance. The steps which the human race has taken to reach to the highest pinnacles of religious thought, every individual will have to take. Only, while the human race took millions of years to reach from one step to another, individuals may live the whole life of the human race in a much shorter duration. But each one of us will have to go through these steps. Those of you who are non-dualists look back to the period of your lives when you were strong dualists. As soon as you think you are a body and a mind, you will have to take the whole of this dream. If you take one portion, you must take the whole. The man who says, here is this world, and there is no (Personal) God, is a fool; because if there is a world, there will have to be a cause, and that is what is called God. You cannot have an effect without knowing that there is a cause. God will only vanish when this world vanishes; then you will become God (Absolute), and this world will be no longer for you. So long as the dream that you are a body exists, you are bound to see yourself as being born and dying; but as soon as that dream vanishes, so will the dream vanish that you are being born and dying, and so will the other dream that there is a universe vanish. That very thing which we now see as the universe will appear to us as God (Absolute), and that very God who has so long been external will appear to be internal, as our own Self.
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。