The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v2.c39.s5.37

v2.c39.s5.37

While Tanū is not of enduring importance in Indian thought, Rūpa, 'form', remains a term of high importance. Its primary meaning is visible extension or shape; it is the object of the eye, as sound is that of the ear. Only during life does form exist, being lost in death, a hint of the doctrine of the necessity of the imposition of form on matter to create the concrete individual.⁵ Similarly⁶ the Brahman is said to enter the world when it is to be made distinct by means of name and form, the name corresponding to the form, and thus—to develop the idea—being the means of expressing the nature of the form, though this conception is far from that of the Brāhmaṇa which treats name and form as two distinct active potencies. Nor can we venture to attach too much importance to the aspect of Rūpa as form, for even in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad¹ the term denotes not pure form, but a material possessing form; heat, water, food are the results of the creator entering the world with name and form.