Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c10.18

c10.18

§ 37. Philosophy and Cosmology :— The philosophy of medical authors is essentially that of the Sāṃkhya system¹, as is evident from the fact that Punarvasu (Car 1.13.3) imparts his instructions to the followers of this philosophy (*sāṃkhya*) who surrounded him. So also Su 3.1 denotes the "anexpanded" (*avyakta*) which consists of three *guṇas* : *sattva*, *rajas* and *tamas*, as the creative element of the whole world. From *avyakta*, "the great" (*mahān*) originates, and from this "the inspirer of I" (*ahaṃkāra*) in three forms : *vaikārika*, *taijasa* and *bhūtādi*. From the first form of *ahaṃkāra* the eleven senses (*indriya*) are created; they are (1) the five senses of perception : hearing, feeling, sight, taste and smell, (2) the five active senses : speech, catch and hold, procreation, evacuation and walking, the respective organs for these senses and (3) the internal sense (*manas*). From the third form of *ahaṃkāra* are created the five *tanmātra* ("only this") i. e. the basic elements of the sound, feeling, colour, taste and smell and from these the gross elements (*bhūta*) : vacuum², wind, fire, water and earth. Thus there are 24 principles (*tattva*). Of these *avyakta*, *mahān*, *ahaṃkāra* and the five *tanmātra* are the eight basic forms (*prakṛti*), the remaining 16 are the products (*vikāra*). In opposition to the 24 irrational *tattvas*, there is the 25th endowed with intelligence (*cetayitṛ*); it is the soul (*puruṣa*). Like the basic element or the matter (*prakṛti*) the soul is also without beginning and end, eternal and omnipresent. While, however, the matter is uniform and non-intelligent, consists of three *guṇas*, propagates itself and does not remain neutral, there is a variety of souls who are endowed with intelligence, are immaterial (*aguṇa*), unproductive and neutral. Car 4.1 speaks of the soul as the *cetanādhātu* who is named as *puruṣa* and consists of the 24 above elements. The *puruṣa* is without beginning and eternal, the designations *ātman*, *kṣetrajña*, *vibhu*, *sūkṣin* are also applied to Him. If there were no *puruṣa*, there would neither be light nor darkness, neither truth nor untruth, no Veda, no good or bad deeds, neither pleasure nor pain, neither birth nor death, neither bond nor release. At the dissolution of the world (*pralaya*) a counterformation takes place also in the case of the *puruṣa*, the folded becomes unfolded and vice versa. After death the expressions of the soul's activity, viz. pleasure and pain, comprehension and recollection etc. cease, the body becomes like an empty house and devoid of consciousness after the removal of the soul. Caraka holds similar view with Suśruta in respect of *avyakta*, *buddhi* (*mahān*), *ahaṃkāra*, five *tanmātra*, five senses of perception and five of activity, *manas*, five gross elements (*khādīni*) and the 16 *vikāras*. In 4.5 Caraka speaks of the redemption and the means therefor. According to Car 4.6, the body is the product of five gross elements (*mahābhūta*, see above) under the guidance of the soul. If the balance of the elements is disturbed, the body suffers or expires. Decrease or increase of individual elements occurs by unsuitable or suitable diet and the like. In 1.8 the relation of the senses to the soul or inner sense, *manas*, also called *sattva* or *cetas*, is exhaustively discussed. The senses can take hold of their respective objects only by the direction of the soul. The way in which the spirit or character of every individual man is formed, depends upon as to which of the three *guṇas* (*sattva*, *rajas*, *tamas*) is dominant in him. Compare also § 41.