Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* What is said here is this : the natural attributes or properties of substances must be present in their combinations as also in their divisions. Chetana is wanting in any of the five primal essences. Hence, it cannot come or inhere into any of their com¬ binations, Man, therefore, with soul, cannot be the result of the five primal essences. The six ingredients, however, viz., the five primal essences and the Soul, may, by their combination, form living creatures. The qualities of those six must be present in all their combinations and in all their divisions or portions. Indeed, as the attributes of those six are observed in living creatures, it is plain that living [creatures are formed of those six. The density of earth, the fluidity of water, the heat of fire or light, the transverse motion of wind, the absence of resistance that attaches to space, and percep¬ tion, memory, &c., of the Soul, are all found in the bodies of living creatures. Hence, in ascertaining the origin of living creatures, that origin must be ascribed to the action of the six ingredients already named. The soul is as increate as any of the five primal essences. Its creation by'the mother and the father cannot be conceived. It existed before in some other form Jor abode. With respect to new bodies, all that takes place is that the Soul combines with the existing five elements and makes for itself conti¬ nually new abodes.— -T.

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creatures), then may the doctrine be accepted of birth being due to another.*10

(Next, as regards the advocates of the theory of Chance :) to the unbeliever, with mind affected by the theory of everything being the result of Chance, there is no perception, no object per¬ ceived, no acting agent, no cause, no deities, no Rishis, no Siddhas, no acts, no fruits of acts, and no Soul. The adoption of such un¬ belief is a sin more heinous than the most heinous of sins.11-12 The man of intelligence, therefore, casting off such an understand¬ ing that is set on a wrong path, should look upon all things with the light afforded by the understandings of those that are good and wise.13

All things are of two kinds, viz., Sat and Asat. Their per¬ ception (or knowledge) is of four kinds, viz., Testimony or affirm¬ ation of trustworthy teachers, Direct cognisance, Immediate Infer¬ ence, and Argumentative Inference or Reasoning.-f-14

Trustworthy teachers are they who have been freed from the attributes of Rajas and Tamas through the power of penances and knowledge, who are possessed of clear perceptions in respect of the the Present, the Past, and the Future, and whose cognisance is always unobstructed.13 These, indeed, are Aptas (trustworthy teachers). With disclipined faculties, they are possessed of wisdom.

* Verse 10 is thus explained by the Commentator : the theory, referred to in para. 5 of this Lesson ante, of ‘ Paranirmanam ’ is here refuted. Those who main¬ tain that theory mean either that the body without the Soul is due to the agency of ‘ Para ’ (another) ; or, that the Soul is due to such agency. The speaker takes up the last first, and says that the Soul being without a beginning, its origin cannot be ascribed to the agency of ‘Para.’ He then takes up the question of the body without the Soul, and says that if the origin of the body be ascribed to the agency of another, and if that another be the Soul (endued with virtue and vice) then the theory would be acceptable, consistent as it is with the orthodox belief, — T.

t Things existent are included in the name Sat. All non-existent things are called Asat. Existent and Non-existent things are otherwise called Bhava and Abhava. ‘ Aptopode^a ’ is sometimes rendered as ‘Right affirmation’ or ‘Revelation’; ‘Pratyakshya ’ is sometimes rendered as ‘ Perception.’ All these words, however, have been fully explained in the following Verses, so that their nature cannot be misunderstood by whatever words one may render them. — T.

p. 118

charaka-sa mhitA.

Their words are unquestionable. They say only what is true. They never speak what is untrue, since they are freed from Rajas .* * * §1B

That cognisance which flows from, and displays itself vividly at the instant in consequence of the soul, the senses, the mind, and the objects of the senses being all united together, is said to be Direct cognisance."}*17