History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.223

v7.c95.223

The Vedāntasūtra frequently refers to the doctrine of transmigration, but owing to the limits imposed by available space only a few important sūtras and their explanations will be set out here. The three sūtras of V. S II. 1. 34-36²⁵²⁷ are of great importance for the theory of transmigration. An objector says 'to hold that God is the cause of the world does not stand to reason, for, if it be so, God would be liable to the charges of unequal treatment (or dispensation) and cruelty. He creates some that enjoy extreme happiness (like gods and others), some lead an extremely miserable life such as beasts (of burden &c.) and some like men, who enjoy an intermediate position, secure a modicum of enjoyment. So God may be charged with acting through hatred and love (like ordinary men). God also produces misery and finally destroys all persons. This aspect (of great cruelty) appears abhorrent even to evil men. To this the reply is: if god had created inequality in the world at his sweet will and without regard to any other matter, he might have been liable to the two charges of unequal treatment and cruelty. But God has regard to the righteousness (merit) or otherwise of beings when he produces inequalities among creatures. The position of God should be looked upon like that of rain, which is the common cause (or factor) in the production of crops of rice and barley, but the difference (in quality) between rice and barley is due to the varying potentialities of the seeds. God is the common cause in the creation of beasts, men and gods but the inequalities in these are due to the special potentialities of each. Śaṅkarācārya relies expressly on two Upaniṣad passages viz Kauṣ. Up. III. 8 and Bṛ. Up. III. 2. 13 'puṇyo vai puṇyena karmaṇā bhavati pāpaḥ pāpena). The Kauṣ. Up. passage means 'He²⁵²⁸ (the Absolute Ātman) is not exalted by good works nor degraded by evil works, but it is He indeed who inspires (a person) to do good works, whom he wishes to lead high over those worlds and it is he who inspires one to do evil deeds whom he wishes to lead down from these worlds'. It will be noticed that the Kauṣītaki bases the attainment of a higher life (or birth) or a lower life on the quality of men's deeds (just as in Bṛ Up. III. 2 13, IV. 4. 5, Chān Up. V. 10 7, Praśna 3. 7). The Gītā states 'I treat them the same way (with appropriate fruits) in which they come to (or approach) me.'