History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c10.22

v1.c10.22

However much these different philosophies might contend with one another, on two or three points all of them seem to have held only one view. Firstly they all believed (with the exception of Lokāyatikas or atheists alone) in the existence of the soul and its metempsychosis through numberless births according to Karma. The belief in the Karma doctrine and in the doctrine of the transmigration of the soul prominently distinguishes Indian philosophy from the philosophy of the West. We are not concerned here either with its truth or otherwise or with the history of its origin. But it is pertinent to remark that this belief was a potent and living force at the time of which we are writing. It had a great effect in maintaining the morals of the people at a high level. The following extract from Hiuen Tsang a foreign and unbiassed writer is relevant in this connection "They are of hasty and irresolute temperament but of pure moral principles. They will not take anything wrongfully and they yield more than fairness requires. They fear the retribution of sins in other lives and make light of what conduct produces in this life." (Watters Vol. I P. 171.) And further, "As the government is honestly administered and the people live together on good terms the criminal class is small" (Ditto). The same cannot be said of the present state of the Indian society and apparently the credit of this high moral condition of the people is due to the teachings of Buddhism which lays stress upon this doctrine of transmigration of soul and its moral lessons with the greatest force, though it has taken it from Hinduism itself.