Studies in the Origins of Buddhism c8.85

c8.85

In paras 21–22 Viññāṇa is explained as the transmigrating agent that takes on a new name and a new body. This dangerously soul-like character of Viññāṇa appears to have caused the addition of the next section in the sutta, comprising paras 23–32. It intrudes upon the previous section suddenly and without apparent relevancy. This is not to say that it is radically opposed to the former in idea; but there is an undoubted shift of accent. While the preceding “section” expounds Viññāṇa-cum-Nāmarūpa as coterminous with the phenomenal,²⁷ the present section directs attention to the utter transcendentality of “Attā”. This difference comes out clearly in the last few lines of para 32 (with which the second section closes). These are manifestly patterned on the last lines of the preceding section (in para 22). Whereas these latter leave the matter at the level of the phenomenal, the former by a slight change focuss the whole attention on what lies beyond it. The second section, in short, is a supplement to the first.