The Religions of India: Handbooks on the History of Religions, Volume 1, Edited by Morris JastrowHopkins, Edward Washburn
Religion
The Religions of India: Handbooks on the History of Religions, Volume 1, Edited by Morris Jastrow
Hopkins, Edward Washburn
India -- Religion
Throughout the whole legal literature one will find this same
antithesis of views in regard to the fate of good and bad, although it
is seldom that annihilation is predicated of the latter. Usually hell
or rebirth are their fate--two views, which no one can really
reconcile. They are put side by side; exactly as in priestly
discussion in India and Europe it still remains an unsettled question
as to when the soul becomes immortal.[25] Occidental experience
teaches how easy it is for such views to stand together unattacked,
although they are the object of speculation. This passage is perhaps,
historically, the most satisfactory (as it is philosophically
unsatisfactory) that can be cited in answer to the questions that were
posed above. But from other parts of legal literature a few more
statements may be culled, to illustrate still further the lack of
uniformity not only in popular belief, but in the teaching provided
for the public. First from the same work of [=A]pastamba, in 2. 11.
29. 9-10 it is said that if a witness in court perjure himself he
shall be punished by the king, "and further, in passing to the next
world, hell" (is his portion); whereas "(the reward) for truth is
heaven, and praise on the part of all creatures." Now, let one compare
first _ib_. 2. 5. 11. 10-11: "Men of low castes are reborn in higher
castes in successive births, and men of high castes in low castes, if
they respectively perform and neglect their duties." And then this
Vedantic passage of the same author (1. 8. 22 ff.): "Let one (as
penance for sin) devote himself to the Yoga (mental discipline) which
has to do with the highest _[=a]tm[=a]_ ... Nothing is known higher
than the acquisition of _[=a]tm[=a]_. We shall (now) cite some
_[=a]tm[=a]_-acquisition-verses, viz.: All living creatures (are) the
citadel of him that rests in secret, the indestructible one, the
immaculate one. Immortal they that devote themselves to the moveless
one who has a movable dwelling ... the great one whose body is light,
universal, free ... the eternal (part) in all creatures, the wise,
immortal, unchanging one, limbless, voiceless, formless, touchless,
purest, the highest goal. He that everywhere devotes himself to Him
(_[=a]tm[=a]_ as Lord), and always lives accordingly; that by virtue
of Yoga recognizes Him, the subtile one, shall rejoice in the top of
heaven ... He, _[=a]tm[=a],_ comprehends all, embraces all, more
subtile than a lotus-thread and huger than the earth ... From him are
created all bodies; he is the root, he the Everlasting, the Eternal
One."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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