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temporary? That which appears and exists for a certain period of time, or that which has beginning and end. And what is eternal? Eternal means that which exists thronghont present, past, and future, and also in Jagrita, Swapna, and Sushupta. Owing to these and various other causes matter cannot he sipirit nor vice versa. If you say like Vashishtha that the sleeping particles of Chid (spirit) are ignorantly called matter, then we agree with yon to a certain extent; but still how can they, for that reason, be called by the erroneous and misleading term matter which is inert and spiritually non-exitent. Why do you not call a piece of wood or stone spirit?*[1] Can you prove the existence of matter in sound sleep?†[2] Perhaps you will reply like the Nayayiks that matter exists with Karana in sleep, if so, where does it exist in Turya? You cannot prove that either matter or Prakriti exists in Turya. How then can matter or Prakriti be called eternal? If matter is merely a manifestation of spirit, why call it by the false name of matter instead of its own name spirit?‡[3] Now having done with the effect, matter, we come to its cause, the Mula-Prakriti, which is also called Avidya or ignorance, the mother of Karma and the cause of Bundha. So long as this Prakriti is not layed into spirit by dissolving it into Satvaguna, there is no emancipation, Mukti with Prakriti is no Mukti at all. Beyond Prakriti is emancipation. This is the conclusion of the whole of our Aryan Occultism. Let us now see what the Mimansa says. We make a few quotations from the "Saddarshana-Chintanika, or Studies in Indian Philosophy," Vol. V. of 1881. No. 11, page 347§[4] edited at Bombay. ***
- ↑ * Because it is not usual to call them by sach a name. Nevertheless, we maintain that there is in a piece of wood or a stone as much of latent spirit or life as there is in a weak—old human fœtus.—Ed.
- ↑ † See Mr. T. Subba Row's reply.—Ed.
- ↑ ‡ For the same good reason that we call a chair by its "false" name of chair instead of calling it by that of the "oak" or any other wood of which it was made.—Ed.
- ↑ § "We refer the reader to the pages of the abovenamed excellent monthly magazine.—Ed.
