ART. XV.-Moksha, or the Vedantic Release. By DVIJADAS DATTA. 1. BANDHA, OR THE BONDAGE. NOTHING could be more important for a student of Indian thought than to have a correct notion of the Moksha of the Vedánta, which is so curiously allied to the Buddhistic Nirvána. And as there are some methods of translation which seem to me to give an inaccurate tone to some of the most scholarly treatises in Europe on the subject, I venture to submit a few remarks on one or two points of importance. Is it quite correct to treat Moksha as more a matter of metaphysical knowledge than the reward of moral improvement, as Dr. Deussen does in the following passage? "Hierauf beruht es, dass die Erlösung durch keine Art von Werk, auch nicht durch moralische Besserung, sondern allein durch die Erkenntniss (wie die christliche Erlösung allein durch den Glauben, solâ fide, welcher die hier in Rede stehende, metaphysische Erkenntniss sehr nahe kommt) vollbracht wird." The name Moksha, or release, suggests its counterpart, Bandha,' or bondage, which is said to arise from Avidyá. It is usual to translate Avidyá by ignorance, thus apparently giving a metaphysical colour to both the bondage and the release. But Avidya really means very much more than mere metaphysical ignorance. Arjuna, in the Gita, does not deplore mere metaphysical bondage when he so pathetically describes it in the words, "I know the (moral) law, but am not inclined thereto; I know what is immoral, but am not disinclined therefrom;"2 1 Dr. Deussen's "Das System des Vedánta," p. 433. 2 "Jánámi dharman na da me pravrittir Jánámy adharman na ća me nivrittih || VOL. XX.-[NEW SERIES.] and, again, "Under what influence does a man commit sin, as if against his own liking, as if under compulsion?" (Gíta, chap. III. verse 36). Yama in the Katha instructing Nachiketá, whom he considers a seeker after Vidyá (Vidya-bhípsinan), on the difference between the 'good' (Śreyah) and the 'pleasurable' (Preyah), does not show much reference to metaphysical knowledge: "The good is one and the pleasurable another,—each leads to a contrary result according as the one or the other predominates in a man. Of these, one who follows the good, finds good; he misses the highest good of life who pursues the pleasurable. The good and the pleasurable are placed before man. The wise (man) thoroughly examines both, and separates the one from the other. The wise prefer the good to the pleasurable, but the foolish, from worldly desire, prefer the pleasurable.”1 Prayers for a deep feeling of love of Brahma, rather than a clear metaphysical understanding, are not wanting in Vedántic writings. Take this, for example: "May such unchanging love as foolish people feel for earthly pleasures, never cease, in my heart, when I call 2 Thee." upon this other prayer in the Brihadáranyaka (chap. I. sec. ii. verse 28): "Lead me from the illusory to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality," on which Sankara remarks, "from the illusory,' that is, from vain pursuits and from ignorance, 'lead me to the real,' that is, the knowledge of sacred duties, i.e., bring out the (true nature of the) Self for which (the exercise of) divine qualities is the only preparation."3 Such passages do not support the idea that the summum bonum aimed at by the Vedánta, Moksha, has no reference to moral improvement. The Or 1 Anyać éhreyo(a)nyad ut aiva preya ste ubhe nánárthe purushan sinítah | Tayoh S'reya adadánasya sadhu bhavati, híyate *rthát ya u Preyo briníte || etc. (Katha, Adhyaya I. Valli II. verses 1 and 2, p. 93, of Jivananda Vidyasagara's edition). 2 Yá príti ravivekánán vishayeshvanapayiní | (Pancadasí, chap. VII. p. 202). 3 "Asatoma sad gamaya, tamaso má Jyotir gamaya, mrityor má mritan gamaya"; on this S'ankara remarks: Asato(a) sat karmaņo (a)jñánáć ća má mán sać ćhástríya-karma-vijñáne gamaya, devabháva-sudhan-átma-bhávamápádaya” (p. 119, Jivánanda Vidyasagara's edition). bondage deplored in such terms cannot be other than moral -the bondage to 'Preya' (pleasure) in preference to Śreyas (the good); nor can the release be otherwise. 2. WORKS. "All Werke, die guten sowohl wie die bösen, erfordern ihre Vergeltung in einem nächst folgenden Dasein. Daher alle Werkthätigkeit, welcher Art sie auch sei, nie zur Erlösung, sondern immer nur zum Sansára Zurückführt" (Deussen's Vedánta, p. 434). Here, again, is felt the inadequacy of a foreign language to express the technical Vedantic idea of 'Karma' and 'Dharma' in the sense in which they are discarded as means to Moksha. Passages such as the following: "The wise seer, when he sees the Bright, the Creator, the Person, the source of the visible universe, washes off his good and evil works, and freed from sin, attains one-ness with the Supreme "1 (Mundaka, chap. III. sec. 1, verses 2 and 3), and such passages are numerous, would at first sight seem to indicate that good and evil works stand alike under condemnation as regards Moksha, both being declared 'sins' that one has to be 'free' from. Yet the very next verse declares: "He who loves the soul, delights in the soul, and is full of works, is the best of those who know Brahma" (Mundaka, chap. III. sec. 1, verse 4).2 Again, in Isá, it is said, "Verily, doing works in this world, wish to live a hundred years" (Isá, verse 2).3 That Moksha is really a state of freedom from sin, could not be better expressed than in the following: "Like a horse the dust on his hair, I shake off my sin; like the moon from the maw of Ráhu (i.e. from eclipse), I am released; I shake off the body, and with all duties finished, I am born in the uncreated world of Brahma, I am born indeed” (Chándogya, ch. VIII. sec. 1, verse 13). Wherever 'good works' is 1 Yadá pasyah pas'yate rukma-varṇan karttára mísán purushan, brahma-yonin || Tadá vidván punya-pápe vidhúya nirañjanah paraman samyam upaiti || 2 Atma-krida atmaratih kriyáván esha Brahmavidan varishthah. 3 Kurvan nev eha karmáņi Jijívisheć ćhatan samáh | As'va iva románi vidhúya papan éandra iva Ráhor mukhát pramućya, dhútvá sariram akritan kritátmá, Brahmalokam abhisambhavámí tyabhisambhavami || condemned in the Vedánta, it is only as a technical term for certain rites and sacrifices (Anushṭhána) supposed to bring large returns of outward good in the other world; it condemns other-worldliness. It is in the later writings, such as those of Sankara, the feud between Karma1 and Jñána takes a prominent place, and there Karma and Dharma invariably mean ritualism. Let the reader compare the distinction drawn by Sankara between Dharma-jijñásá and Brahma-jijñásá at the commencement of the Brahma Sútra Commentary (ch. I. sec. 1, sútra 1), "The Vedah itself shows the perishable nature of rewards won by 'firesacrifice' and other good works as in this world property acquired by works comes to an end, so also in the other, worlds acquired by good works come to an end.'" Here are also given as essential conditions of fitness for inquiry after Brahma (1) a discrimination of the Everlasting from the fleeting (nity-ánitya-vastu-vivekah), (2) a freedom from desire of rewards in this or the next world (ihá mutra phala-bhoga-virágah), (3) calmness of mind (Samah), and (4) self-control (damah)—all of which involve the highest moral self-exertion. The kind of 'good works' so called, that are no help in the way of attaining release, Sankara states thus in his Viveka-ćúḍámani: "By reflection, and by the instruction of teachers, the truth is known, but not by ablutions, making donations, or by performing hundreds of Pránájáma (controlling the breath)" (verse 13).2 There is nothing in the Upanishads to justify the assertion that metaphysical keenness is a better qualification for Moksha than moral purity; it is rather the reversemoral purity is the first condition for attaining it. "He who has not ceased from wickedness, nor has calmness of mind, nor is given to meditation, and is without control over his mind, cannot find him by keenness of understand 1 Even in the Bengali, kriyá' and 'kriyákarma' are technical names for rites and ceremonies, like the S'raddha, etc. 2 Arthasya nisćayo dristo vićárena hito ktitah | Na snánena, na dánena pránáyáma-satena vá || ing" (Katha, II. vallí, verse 24). Again, "This knowledge is not to be attained by reasoning "2 (II. vallí, verse 9). Even in the later writings, such as the Pañćadaśí, works really good and disinterested are held in high estimation, and enjoined as the greatest duty of the 'awakened' sage: "A father conducts himself after the wishes of his infant child, so should the 'awakened' adapt his course of life to the happiness of the ignorant. Insulted or beaten by the infant, the father does not feel hurt, nor is angry, rather nurses his child. The awakened,' whether praised or reviled by the ignorant, does not praise or revile in return, but so conducts himself as would lead them to wisdom. If by acting any part in this (drama of life), they may be awakened, it should certainly be done. The 'wise' man has no duty in this life, other than 'awakening' the ignorant" (Pañćadaśí, chap. VII. v. 286 to 289). The whole doctrine of works' and the true meaning of 'renunciation of works' is best explained in the Gíta: "Work is your province, over results you have no control. Let not the desire of rewards for works be your motive; do not desire the absence of work "4 (chapter II. verse 47). "Not by non-performance of works does one attain renunciation of works'"5 (III. 4). "Do thou work always; work is better than absence of work "6 (8). "All work not performed for the sake of worship is a bondage to people; but, O son of Kunti, with that object perform works, and without desire of reward" (verse 9). Indeed the whole 1 "Ná virato dusćáritan ná sánto ná samáhitah | 2 "Nai shá tarkena matir ápaneya" || 3 Avidvad anusáreņa vrittir buddhasya yujyate | |