A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1Dasgupta, Surendranath
Religion
A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1
Dasgupta, Surendranath
Hindu philosophy; India -- Religion
to ta@nhâ) is found in the earlier Upani@sads, but the ideas contained
in them are similar to the words "_kratu_" and "_kâma_." Desire
(ta@nhâ) is then said to depend on feeling or sense-contact.
Sense-contact presupposes the six senses as fields of operation [Footnote
ref 1]. These six senses or operating fields would again presuppose the
whole psychosis of the man (the body and the mind together)
called nâmarûpa. We are familiar with this word in the Upani@sads
but there it is used in the sense of determinate forms and
names as distinguished from the indeterminate indefinable
reality [Footnote ref 2]. Buddhagho@sa in the _Visuddhimagga_ says that by
"Name" are meant the three groups beginning with sensation
(i.e. sensation, perception and the predisposition); by "Form"
the four elements and form derivative from the four elements [Footnote
ref 3]. He further says that name by itself can produce physical
changes, such as eating, drinking, making movements or the like. So
form also cannot produce any of those changes by itself. But like
the cripple and the blind they mutually help one another and
effectuate the changes [Footnote ref 4]. But there exists no heap or
collection of material for the production of Name and Form; "but just
as when a lute is played upon, there is no previous store of sound;
and when the sound comes into existence it does not come from
any such store; and when it ceases, it does not go to any of the
cardinal or intermediate points of the compass;...in exactly the
same way all the elements of being both those with form and
those without, come into existence after having previously been
non-existent and having come into existence pass away [Footnote ref 5]."
Nâmarûpa taken in this sense will not mean the whole of mind and
body, but only the sense functions and the body which are found
to operate in the six doors of sense (_sa@lâyatana_). If we take
nâmarûpa in this sense, we can see that it may be said to depend
upon the viññâna (consciousness). Consciousness has been compared
in the _Milinda Pañha_ with a watchman at the middle of
_____________________________________________________________________
[Footnote 1: The word âyatana is found in many places in the earlier
Upani@sads in the sense of "field or place," Châ. I. 5, B@rh. III. 9.
10, but @sa@dâyatana does not occur.]
[Footnote 2: Candrakîrtti interprets nâma as _Vedanâdayo'
rûpi@nas'catvâra@h skandhâstatra tatra bhave nâmayantîli nâma. saha
rûpaskandhena ca nâma rûpam ceti nâmarûpamucyate._ The four skandhas
in each specific birth act as name. These together with rûpa make
nâmarûpa. _M. V._ 564.]
[Footnote 3: Warren's _Buddhism in Translations_, p. 184.]
[Footnote 4: _Ibid._ p. 185, _Visuddhimagga_, Ch. XVII.]
[Footnote 5: _Ibid._ pp. 185-186, _Visuddhimagga_, Ch. XVII.]
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