The Conception of Buddhist Nirvana — Th. Stcherbatsky (1927)

If a being is born on earth and he contemplates the surrounding objects with his usual sense of vision, all the three elements will belong to the same sphere. But if this very man will acquire that mystical power of vision which is characteristic of the first world of trance, then the combination will change. The body and the surrounding objects will remain the same as before, but the faculty of vision and the corresponding sensations will be those which are cha¬ racteristic of the first world of trance. If, in addition to that, he will attain a degree of mystic concentration where all objects are changed, then the body remaining on earth, his faculty of vision, his visual sensations and his external world will all be those of the mystic. . . . This being, still remaining in the plane of gross bodies, may acquire the faculty of vision charac¬ teristic of the second and higher worlds. Corresponding combinations will then arise which can easily be imagined by the analogy of what has been stated. . . . Further, if a denizen of the first mystic world contemplates the surrounding objects with his own faculty of vision, then all the elements will belong to his own plane of existence. But if he will look down upon the plane of existence below him, then his body, his sight ainJJjis sensations will remain his own, though his objects will belong to another plane. The denizen of the first mystic world may acquire the sight-power characteristic of the second mystic world, and so on. The corresponding combina¬ tions may easily be imagined.

However there is a limitation. The faculty of vision cannot be that of a lower plane than the body, (there can be no ethereal bodies with a gross faculty of vision), but there can be a gross body with a mystic power of vision. Ordinary men with an ordinary power of vision do not perceive the higher worlds, but the denizens of the higher worlds might perceive what is going on in the gross worlds, if they care to. The organ of vision, connected with a certain body, can appertain either to its own plane of existence, or to a higher one, it can never descend to a lower plane. But the visible objects and visual sensations either belong to the same plane as the body, or to a lower one, never to a higher one. The same refers to the faculty of audition. As to the faculties of touch, smell and taste, they always belong to the same plane of existence as that of their body.»

These speculations help us to understand the Buddhist denial of personal identity. The separate elements combining in a personality may even be such as normally belong to different planes of existence. Determined by actual obser¬ vation these elements, by an effort of imagination, are transferred to a higher plane where they continue to combine under changed circumstances accord¬ ing to the same laws of evolution, elan vital or karma , which were settled by the analysis of actual facts. The work of philosophy here resembles a mathematical computation. Being given a certain change in the axioma of existence, e.g., the necessity of food, clothing and homes being in abeyance, what will be the consequent changes in all the formulas of personal existence? This is also clearly seen out of the following discussion in the Abhidharma. 1

1 Condensed from Ab. Kosa. bh. pp. 52. 2 — 53. 8 (B. B. XX.), cp. M. de la V. P.’s trans¬ lation, p. 54 ff.

NIRVANA

II. YOGA

«It has been determined that 18 kinds ( dhatu ) of elements are cooperating in making up life in all the three spheres of existence. 1 It is then asked how many cooperate in the worlds of gross bodies, how many in the worlds of ethereal bodies, and how many in the spiritual worlds. It is answered — 18 in the first, 14 in the second and 3 in the last. All the 18 ele¬ ments combine in creating life in the sphere of gross bodies. «They combine» means that they are inseparable from it, they constitute this world. In the plane of ethereal bodies, the fragrant and savoury stuff, as well as the corresponding sensations ( vijnana ) are excluded. They represent physical food (kavali-kara-ahara). But ethereal bodies belong to beings who can live without such food, they have no desire for it. The olfactory and gustatory sensations are thus absent, because their objects—that physical food which contains the fragrant and savoury stuff — do not exist.

Objection. But in this case neither the resistent stuff would exist in these worlds, since it is also (a part) of the nutriment stuff.?

Answer. That part of it alone exists which is not nutriment.

Objection. The fragrant and the savoury stuffs are in the same condition, (a part of them is not nutriment)?