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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00216 Nov 2003

 
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SrI:
 
 Dear Swamy Desika BhakthAs:
 
 Today , we will study  the  two Paasurams dealing with
Swamy  Desikan's  criticism of  the fourth of the Four
Mathams associated with Buddhism : VaibhAshikam .

Before studying the two Paasurams of Swamy  Desikan on
this branch of Buddhism , let us summarize the key aspects of
VaibhAshikam as presented  by U.Ve. Dr.V.N.SeshAdhriyAcchAr
Swamy ( Dr.V.N.S Swamy ) and his elder brother ,
U.Ve. V.N.SrIrAma DesikAcchAr  Swamy :

" The Four Schools of Buddhism , namely , VaibhAshika , 
SautrAntika , YogAchAra and Maadhyamika , inspite of
many differences in their principles , have some aggrements 
in their viewpoints : 

(1) All entities are impermanent , transitory  and in a continous 
state of change (2) apart from the flow of cognitions , there is
no soul or aathman as the seat of cognition or consciousness.
Unlike the two latter Buddhists (YogAchara and MaadhyAmika) ,
the VaibhAshika and the SautrAntika hold both mental and 
physical entities as real and existing . The VaibhAshika contends that 
all external objects are real and apprehensible by perceptions 
generated by the sense organs . Space and NirvANa are ,
according to him , eternal ; matter and mind which is not 
an entity distinct  from the so-called soul or atman , 
are impermanent and momentary. For the reason that some 
entities are held as permanent and non-momentary ,
the VaibhAshika is condemned as a non-buddhist 
even by his colleagues , who uphold the momentariness
of all existing entities.

The VaibhAshika is grouped with SautrAntika because
both of them maintain the reality of external things. Consequently,
they are both called Sarva-asti-vAdhins .The VaibhAshika objects 
however to the contention of SautrAntika on the point of presentation 
of a form by the external thing to the mind ". 
   
173) Swamy  Desikan's condemnation of VaibhAshikam
********************************************
KaaNkinravan ilai kAtcchiyum kaNDathum uNDu avai tAmm
    yENN koNDana anRu ivaRRil guNamum nilayum ilai
sENN koNDa santhathiyAl sErnthum onRu yena niRkum yenRa
    kONN koNDa kOLUrai VaibhAtikan kuRai kUruvamE 

(Meaning ): VaibhAshika's doctrine are: (1) The Jn~AthA , who
knows the meaning is false ( poy aavAn) (2) Jn~Anam , and the entity 
comprehended by the Jn~Anam are real entities(3) That Jn~Anam 
and the vasthus comprehended by it are limitless(4) Both of them
however have no attributes (GuNams) (5) They do not stay permanent
and are destroyed in a moment. (6) Vasthus will stay as assemblies of 
ParamANus ( sub-atomic entiites ).

Some weird and distorted  inferences are made form this ParamAnu
theory of VaibhAshikan . According to him , although the ParamANus
are limitless , their assembly makes the entity of similar ParmANus
that we call as a Pot or the flame made up of  similar ParamANus of 
fire(microcosms of fire ) . Even if the sparks of flames are similar 
ParamANus to make the mighty flame , it is confusing to extend 
the instaneously perishing sarks to become an existign flame. 
This kind of Vakra (distorted) rguments are criticized heavily 
by Swamy  Desikan in VaibhAshika BangAdhikAram .

(174) The contrast between Theory and Reality in VaibhAshikam
****************************************************
kumbhiduvAr yAr yenRu tEduhinRAr  
   guNangaLayum tangaLuku kooRuhinRAr 
tamm padiyai tamarkku urIaitthup-padivikkinRAr
   tamakku ini mEl VeedenRu sAthikkinRAr 
tamm pudavai uNal kuritthu nedithu yeNkinRAr
   santhatikkut-tavam palikkat-tAmm pOhinRAr
sempadavar seyhinRa siRRinippaic-
   chEvahap-paRRudanE nAmm sehtthittOmE 

(Meaning ): VaibhAshikars accept Jn~Anam and vasthu 
as real and yet reject guNams (attributes) in them and state 
their existence is momentary. These doctrines counter their
behavior . VaibhAshikAs spend a lot of time and effort to
collect sishyAs  for the sake of amassing wealth and glory .
They proclaim that they possess dispassion (VairAgyam ) 
and non-violence (ahimsA) . They instruct the sishyAs 
about their doctrine that  they will secure MOksham , the moment
their bodies fall down at the end of their life span . They take 
a lot of trouble to amass wealth and food and worry quite 
a bit on bodily matters. They state that they perform penance
for the upliftment of their sishyAs and family . All of these are
inconsistent with their doctrines that all entities are momentary 
and these entities have no attributes. We (Swamy  Desikan ) 
have refuted all these inconsitencies between the VaibhAshikA's 
acts and their professed philosophies .

The use of the Tamil word in this Paasuram "Sempadavan " has 
double meanings: (1) Sempadavar means fishermen . Hers the VaibhAshikAs 
are compared to fishermen , who use their distorted logic to attract 
the minds of the people to win them over to their doctrines 
(2) Sem+padavar means one , who wears ochre robes ( KaashAyam).       
 
Daasan , Oppiliappan KOil Varadachari Sadagopan
 
SrImate SrI Lakshminrusimha PaadhukA sEvaka
SrI  Aadhi VaNN SaThakOpa SrI NaarAyaNa YathIndhra
MahA DesikAya Nama:


 


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