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The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c9.s5: XXXIII. The Cause of the Return to Earthly Existence

The System of the Vedânta according to Bâdarâyana's Brahma-Sûtras and Çankara's Commentary c9.s5

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English

Contents

XXXIII. The Cause of the Return to Earthly Existence

1. Prefatory Remark

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Our System teaches a twofold retribution for good and evil works: once in the Beyond, and then through a rebirth on earth. We have already pointed out (above p. 358), as the ground of this double retribution, the endeavour to hold fast at the same time both to the older view of a retribution in the Beyond and to the later one of a retribution through rebirth. But by this the system now becomes inconsistent with itself: for if good and evil receive their due reward in the other world, one fails to see why penance should be done for them over again in a new existence upon earth; or vice versâ, if the retribution consists in the particular form of this earthly existence, then no sound reason is forthcoming for the assumption of rewards and punishments in the other world. We shall see how the Indian theologians deal with this inconsistency (into which, moreover, Plato also fell), by reproducing in brief the contents of 3, 1, 8—11, p. 751—762 in the present Chapter.

2. In Retribution a Residue remains (anuçaya)

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The question arises whether in the retribution of works in the other world a residue¹³² is left or not (p. 752, 2).—One might think that no residue was left, because in Chând. 5, 10, 5 (above p. 364) it is said: "they remain there so long as any "sediment (sampâta) exists" and in Bṛih. 6, 2, 16: they descend "when this is consumed (pari-ava-eti)," as further another passage of Scripture says (Bṛih. 4, 4, 6, translated above p. 194):

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¹³² *anuçaya*, literally residuum, "heel taps," whereby Bâdarâyaṇa, as it seems, alludes to the corresponding *sampâta*, "the sediment of any liquid, which runs together at the bottom of the vessel," in Chând. 5, 10, 5. In the Commentary to Chând. p. 344, 8, *sampâta* is indeed taken

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"After he has received reward
"For all, that he has here performed,
"He comes back from that other world,
"Into this world of deeds, below;"

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and if the meaning of death consists in its being the revealer of the fruit of works (p. 752, 13), then it must be the revealer of all the fruit of works, for the same cause cannot bring forth dissimilar effects (p. 752, 16); and if the lamp makes the pot visible, it must also make the dress visible at a like distance (p. 753, 1).

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In contradiction to these arguments we maintain, that a residue of works is certainly left over. For while on the moon works are gradually consumed by enjoyment, the water-form of these works (am-mayam-çariram, that is, the karma-âçraya, above p. 375 which is thus distinguished here from the karman itself) melts away, through the fire of pain at the dwindling away of works, like hoar-frost in the sun, or like the hardness of butter in the fire, and the descent takes place, while a residue is still left (p. 753, 8). This follows, in the first place, from the fact that the Scripture (Chând. 5, 10, 7) makes a difference as regards those who descend between fair and foul conduct; here we are to understand by conduct (caraṇam) this very residue of works (p. 753, 14); and moreover the various allotment of earthly goods from birth onwards compels us, since nothing is without a cause, to admit such a residue (p. 753, 15). Thus too teaches the Smṛiti (cf. Âpastamba, dharmasûtra 2, 1, 2, 3), that, after the retribution for works has taken place in detail, it is through a residue (çeṣha) that difference of re-birth in respect of country, caste, family, form,

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to mean karmaṇaḥ kṣayaḥ ("until the destruction of works results"), in our work on the contrary, p. 752, 5 to mean karma-âçaya ("so long as an accumulation of works remains"). As to this meaning of karma-âçaya cf. p. 909, 12. 915, 3. 916, 5. 7. 1081, 1. 1086, 6.

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duration of life, Vedic study, destiny, wealth, desire and intelligence is conditioned (p. 754, 4).

3. How is this Residue to be conceived?

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But how are we to conceive this residue of works, by which the course of the new life is conditioned? (p. 754, 6).—

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Some think of it as a viscous fluid, which clings to the vessel (p. 754, 7); this, they think, does not contradict the law of effect [which must operate completely] (p. 754, 10); for even if the purpose of the ascent to the moon is the enjoyment of the fruit without exception, yet a continuance there becomes impossible when the residue of works has become very small indeed (p. 754, 13), just as a wandering knight who has come well provided to the king's court, can no longer maintain himself when his outfit has dwindled down to an umbrella and shoes (p. 755, 1).

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But this explanation is not attractive (peçala). For in the case of the vessel and that of the knight one understands that a residue can be left, but not here (p. 755, 10); on the contrary such a residue is contradicted by the canon of scripture as to the reward in heaven (that is, in the realm of the moon), which takes place without diminution (p. 755, 11); further such a remainder of good works would only explain rebirth in a fair form, and not a rebirth which serves as punishment (p. 756, 1).

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We must rather distinguish two classes of works, the first bearing fruit in the other world, the second in this; the former are recompensed in the Beyond, the latter through the rebirth here (p. 756, 3). In accordance with this, one must take the verse quoted above (p. 388): "for all, that he has done," as referring only to those works which bear fruit in the other world (p. 756, 8), and the same limitation must be made when death is conceived as the revealer of works (p. 756, 9). For why, we ask, is death the revealer of works? Because, no doubt, this life is demanded for the manifestation of other works. Now it is just that which prevents those works which death reveals from being revealed previously, which makes it impossible that works, bearing an opposite kind of fruit, should be revealed at the same time after death (p. 757, 3). That all works cannot receive retribution at once, may be readily seen from the fact that, in the following birth, all accumulated works do not always work themselves out, because each one of them demands its own special retribution (p. 757, 9); and a remission, with the exception of those actions which have been atoned for by penance (prāyaścittam), does not take place (p. 757, 11). If all (religious) works were recompensed in one birth, then, for those who have passed into heaven¹³³ or hell or the bodies of animals [and plants], since in this state they perform no ritual works, there would be no cause for a subsequent existence which thus would be impossible (p. 758, 5); for we have no other authority for the doctrine of retribution except the Canon of Works (p. 758, 8).—It is thus unconditionally true that death is the revealer of works: crimes like the murder of a Brahman require, according to the Smṛiti, more than one life for their atonement (p. 758, 6), and on the other hand works like the rain-sacrifice (kārīrī) bring their fruit in the present life already (p. 758, 9). The example of the lamp (above p. 388) does not apply; rather, just as the lamp at the same distance renders coarse things visible, but not subtle things, so by death the "stronger" works are revealed but not the "weaker" (p. 759, 5). Finally if anyone should object that, if some residue of works is always left, there can be no liberation, he must be reminded that through perfect knowledge all works without exception are dissolved (p. 759, 8).

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¹³³ Meaning here not the realm of the moon, but heaven as the place of rebirth, which may take place in heaven, in the world, or in hell: the samsâra is brahma-ādi-sthāvara-anta p. 61, 11, nāraka-sthāvara-anta 62, 7 cf. pp. 300, 7. 303, 4. 420, 6. 604, 2.

4. Ritual and Moral Work

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As the foregoing shows, our author seeks to solve the question of the basis of double retribution by drawing a distinction between those works which bear fruit in the Beyond and those which bear fruit here. But he makes no effort to determine what works belong to the one or the other category, and he only allows it to appear incidentally that the difference is quantitative, in so far as the stronger works reveal themselves first, and therefore in the Beyond, while the weaker remain behind as a residue and condition the rebirth. We have already encountered a similar struggle for existence among works above p. 112; in contradiction to the passage there translated, as also to various statements in the section we have just analysed, is the remark to which we called attention above p. 353 according to which death means just the moment when the store of works conditioning life has been completely exhausted.

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Now it would be very easy to make the twofold retribution follow from the difference between ritual and moral works, the former being recompensed in the Beyond, the latter in the new career on earth; and it seems as if some such distinction had been attempted by the Vedānta school, but rejected by the authorities, but yet without the latter being able to come to a complete agreement on this point. We shall endeavour to gain an insight into these interesting but somewhat obscure circumstances, by translating here word for word the section bearing upon them, 3, 1, 9—11.

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(3, 1, 9:) “Because of conduct? No! because it denotes it as well; thus Kārṣṇājini.”—That may be so; but the passage of Scripture, which was quoted in proof of the existence a residue of works (anuçaya): ‘who now are of a fair conduct,’ (Chānd. 5, 10, 7, above p. 364), teaches that entering into the womb results from conduct (caraṇam) and not from the remainder of works; for conduct is one thing, and the residue of works another. For conduct can mean nothing but behaviour (cāritram), manner of life (ācāra), character (çīlam); by residue of works, on the other hand, is meant a balance remaining over from the works which have received retribution; and the scripture too distinguishes work and conduct, for it is written (Bṛih. 4, 4, 5, translated above p. 193): ‘according as he acts, according as he walks, according to this is he born,’ and (Taitt. 1, 11, 2): ‘the works which are blameless, those shalt thou perform, no others; what among us is ‘accounted good conduct, that shalt thou follow!’ Therefore the passage of Scripture which makes entering into the womb follow on account of the conduct, proves nothing as to a balance of works.—To this we answer: No! because this passage of Scripture concerning conduct denotes also the remainder of works, thus thinks the teacher Kârshṇajini.”

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(3, 1, 10:) “‘Purposelessness, you think? No! because it is thereby conditioned!’—Good, one might say, but why must one abandon the Vedic meaning of ‘character,’ for the word caraṇam and accept the metaphorical one of ‘balance of works?’ Should not the character rather receive the entrance into a fair or a foul womb as retribution for the good commanded and for the evil forbidden by the scripture? For of course one must assume a reward of some kind for the character. For otherwise there would be purposelessness of character.—If you think so, then we answer: no! Why? Because it is thereby conditioned; that is, the work done, such as sacrifice etc., is conditioned by conduct; for no one who does not lead a good life is admitted thereto:

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“The Veda cleanseth not immoral men,”

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as the Smṛiti says. Further there is no purposelessness of character, because it also belongs to the goal of man. For when the work performed, such as sacrifice etc., reaps its fruit, then too conduct, because it is thereby conditioned, will also receive a certain surplus (atiçaya); and work accomplishes all purposes, as both scripture and tradition admit. Therefore work alone, because it indicates the character as well, is, in the form of the residue of works, the cause of entering into the womb; such is the opinion of Kârshṇajini. For as the work is there, an entering into the womb on account of the character cannot properly be assumed; for he who is able to run upon his feet, does not need the crawl upon his knees.”

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(3, 1, 11:) “‘Only good and evil work on the contrary, says Bâdari.’—On the contrary the teacher Bâdari holds, that by the word ‘conduct’ only good and evil works are to be understood. For, as is seen, the word ‘conduct’ is used of a mere work. For of him who performs holy (puṇya) works, “such as sacrifice etc, people say: ‘this noble man walks in “the path of duty (*dharmam carati*).’—Moreover manner of life “itself is only a kind of duty, and the distinction between “work and conduct is only the same as that between Brâh“maṇa and Parivrâjaka [that is, genus and species, cf. 382, 2. “640, 3]. Thus those of fair conduct are those whose works “are of good repute, and those of foul conduct those whose “works are of ill repute; this is certain.”

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—However far the foregoing thoughts of Çankara fall short of clearness, it is evident from them, that a tendency showed itself to distinguish between ritual and moral conduct or character, and to regard the retribution in the Beyond as conditioned by the former, and the shaping of the succeeding existence by the latter; and further that this tendency did not prevail in the Vedânta-school.—Such an attitude may seem strange to our consciousness which has been well schooled in this very question (the corner-stone of difference between the morality of the Old and New Testaments). We must remember however that we are here concerned with the doings of men only in so far as they call for reward and punishment and thus serve egotistic purposes. And in so far as they are in the service of Egotism, the value of all human deeds lies not in themselves, but in what they aim at; and it is in fact quite a matter of indifference whether this object is attained by ritual or by moral acts.

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