The Philosophical Concept of Saṃskāra

234 Pages·2013·8.13 MB·English

by  Lakshmi Kapani

THE PHILOSOPHICAL
CONCEPT OF SAfy.ISKARA
LAKsHMI KAPANI
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First Edition : Delh# 2013
C Lakshmi Kapani
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ISBN : 978-81-208-!1612-9
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FOREWORD
Lakshmi Kapani's The Philosophical Cont:ejJt of Sa1{lSkiira is the
finest book of its kind on this fundamental notion
emphasizing the interrelatedness of its ritual, psychological
and philosophical aspects.
The aim of this work has been to present the originality
of llhe concept of sarriskiira. The work is, in fact, a
comprehensive survey of this concept based on all textual
references, starting right from the Veda to end up with the
classical darfanas, especially in VaiSe#ka, Vedanta, Siirrikhya
Yoga. Passing through the Grhyasutras and Dharmaiastra was
not less important because of the impact of rituals on the
psychological level of the human mind. The topics taken up
are indeed an indepth study of each problem she has chosen.
She has been successful in highlighting the differences
between the Buddhist attitude and the Brahmanical attitude
towards sarriskiira. All the conclusions of the author are
authenticated by quoting relevant texts from the respective
commentaries. This has enhanced the authenticity of this
work.
Moreover Lakshmi Kapani has included valuable
comparisons with Western Philosophy and Psychoanalysis.
No other work known to me gives so complete a critical
appreciation of the similarities and dissimilarities between
Psychoanalysis and Yoga. She has particularly shown how the
yogin can overcome the propensity of the subconscious
impressions by creating true yogic sarriskiira which lead to
deconditioning of the mind till mental formations simply
get burnt up in the fire of Yoga.
viii THE PHILOSOPHICAL CoNCEYI' OF SA?.,sK.\RA
First published in French, this original and irreplaceable
book has unfortunately been not widely circulated in the
anglophone world including India and an English translation
was therefore urgently needed.
Pr Fran~ois CHENET
251h July 2012 University of Paris-Sorbonne
CONTENTS
FOREWORD vii
PREFACE xvii
ABBREVIATIONS xx1
Chapter I: THE PHILOSOPHY OF SACRIFICIAL ACT I
1. The verb sa~ in the Brihma".'a : mythical,
ritual, and symbolic dimension.S 1
I.I The agnicayana and its symbolism I
1.2 The pcwage from the One to the multiple 2·
1.3 The paMage from the multiple to the ordained 2
2. The ritual making of the sacrificer's Self 3
2. l By means of the sacrificial fire(s) 4
2.2 By means of the Vedic speech or mantras 4
2.2.I Hymns call.ed "work of art" 4
2.3 By means of ritual acts 5
2.3.I Body, speech and thought 6
2.4 By means of "ritual fees" 6
Chapter II: REPRESENTATION OF HINDU
LIFE-CYCLE 9
1. Introduction 9
I. I Translation problems for the word sa'f!&Skii.Ta 9
1.2 Number of iarira-sa'f!&Skaras listed in the
Dharma Sastras I 0
x TH.I:: PmLOSOPHJCAL CoNCEPT OF SA":fSKARA
2. Human life-cycle rites 11
2.1 Seven major purposes of sarira-sa1ftSkiiTas 12
2.2 Purification leading to perfection 13
2.3 Impurity due to birth and. death 15
2.4 The second birth, ritual and symbolic 17
3. Invocation and propitiation of divinities 18
3.1 Divinities invoked during each sa1ftSkara 18
3.2 Symbolical practices 19
4. Fortifying the delicate "pas.u.ges" 20
4.l Rupture, discontinuity, separation 21
5. Instituting and sacralizing human relations 22
5.1 Between parents and chilrlren 22
5.2 The father is the son 23
5.3 Parallels between master-disciple and
husband-wife relation 23
6. Scupskiira nnd adhikiira 24
6.1 Becoming a "twice-born" 24
6.2 Caste and kannan 26
7. Continuity of generations 27
7 .1 Perpetuation of dlzarma 28
8. Sa7f1Skiira and dhanna 29
9. Vai,roava and Saiva-s.a,,iskiiras 30
9.1 Sarira-Sa1ftSkara versus atma-sa1{lSkara 30
Chapter III: THE BUDDHIST ATIITUDE TOWARDS
SAMS.KARAS 33
1. Introduction 33
I. I Vocabulary features 33
1.2 Anthropologi<:al remarks 34
1.3 Translation problems 36
Conlenls xi
2. Sa'flSkiira as the fourth appropriational group 37
and as the second "link"
2 .1 Group of volitions or psycho-physical
constructions 38
2.2 Relation between Sa'Tfl.Skara-skandha and the other
skandhas 40
2.3 Relation between sa1flSkiira-skandha and cetana 40
3. Sa.1r1skii.ra as the second "link" 42
3.1 SaT{lskara as past kannan 43
3.2 Sa1{lSkiira and vijnana 44
3.3 SaT{lSkaras: good, bad and neutral 47
3.4 Bodily, vocal and mental sa1fl.Skilras 48
3.5 Sm!i.skaras in yogic exercises 48
4. The dialectirs between conditioning and
de--conditioniug 49
4.1 Hierarchy between the "stages" in Buddhist _Yoga 49
4.2 The saT(lshiim-bhfimi 50
4.3 The auagogical intention 51
4.4 The composed and the non-composed 51
5. Sci1!ishiira~ sm11sl:rta, a!Jal'!u·krta in Nagirjuna's
Madh)•a11ialui KO.rikiis 52
6. The unconsdouB (mind) in Buddhist texts 58
6.1 The '\mconscious" in Sanskrit vocabulary 59
6.2 The "unconscious" in Buddhist Yoga 60
6.3 Sa1riskiira as volitional effort and as subconscious or
unconscious tendency 62
6.4 The concept of anufoya 64
6.5 The part played by the unconscious in the mechanism
of conversion G5
6.6 The sulrconscious lifc-conti11u11m 66
6. 7 Sa'f!lshiiras which are neither material nor mental 68
xii Tut:. PHILOSOPHICAL CoNcur OF~
Chapter IV: SAMS.KA.RA IN VAISE$IKA THOUGHT:
MECHANICS AND PSYCHOLOGY 71
1. 1bree kinds of phenomena 71
2. Mechanics of propulsion and 1~pulsion 71
2.1 The concept of vega 72
2.2 Vega: a "quality", not a "substan~C-- 73
2.3 Vega as cause and effect of motion 74
3. Def"mition of "elasticity" 76
4. Psychological theories of Vai.fefika Philosophy 76
4.1 Memory : a particular conjunction betwee~
dtman and manas 76
4. 2 Memory: residual impressions and direct
experience -77
4.3 Power of evocation: latent desires and
unforeseen causes 77
4.4 Sa'f!&Skara and dream 78
4.5 Sa'f!&Skara-. oniric and para-oniric states 79
5. Sa,,,sllii.ras as factors of prolongation in space and time 80
5.1 Sarrrskaras: factors of mediation and continuity 80
6. St. Augustine and the vast palaces of memory 80
7. Synoptic Tables I and 2 82
Chapter V: ROLE OF SA¥SKARAS IN THEORIES OF
LANGUAGE 85
1. Word, phonemes and verbal knowledge 85
1.1 Va~vada and spho#a-vada 85
2. Sarpi/Uira and sphof.a 86
2.1 Sa,,WWra as factors of liaison 86
3. Dialogue between ~in and sphotxHJiidin 87
3. l Bhart.rhari's contribution 87
Contmts xiii
4. Some parallels with the West 88
4.1 Hindu Philosophers are all sa'!'Sklzra-vadin 89
4.2 Leibniz's repliqua 89
Chapter VI: THE ADVAJTA \.WANTA THEORY OF
SAMSKARAS 91
1. Saiakaricirya's contribution to sa'flSkiim 91
1.1 Sa'!'Skiira, sa'!'Skrta. asa'!'Skrta 91
1.2 Renunciation, knowledge, deliverance 93
1.3 Sacralization and deliverance 94
1.4 Deliverance is a state of disembodiedness 95
1.5 Purification and ritual qualification 97
1.6 Debate between a Mimii'!'Saka and the Siddhantin 98
2. Previous acquisitions in the context of Law of Karman I 00
2.I Positive or negative aspect of sa7[1Skiiras lOI
2. I. I Ou~ intrinsic natun and the psycho-moral
predispositions I 01
2.1.2Just like the seasons (all) coma back again
and again 103
2.1.3 Karman and caste 104
2.1. 4 The subtl.e body vehiculates the sarpskaras I 05
3. Previous acquisitions are helpful 107
3. I "Karmic Residua" are cause of bondage 108
3.2 Fonner experience I09
3.3 In the beginning was the "Rest" 1 IO
3.4 .Kamu:rvipaka in the transmigratory process I 12
3.5 Analysis of the saf11Skiira-sa1{&SD.ra relation 1 I3
3.6 Previous acquisitions and priirabdho-kannan 114
3. 7 Late Vedanta texts on sa7[1Skiiras 118