[Chaturamnaya] The Foundations of Adhyāsa - 2.2 (Pūrvapaksha: The Self is the Body) (Part II)

[S Jayanarayanan]

 (Continued from previous post.)
 
 
The Opponent comprehensively states the view of Materialism.
  
  BSB 3.3.53 (continued):
 
  Opponent: Some Materialists, who see the Self in the Body only, are of opinion that a
  Self separate from the Body does not exist. They assume that Consciousness (“Caitanya”),
  although not observed in the elements – either single or combined – may yet appear in
  them when they are transformed into the shape of a Body, so that Consciousness springs
  from it, analogous to the intoxication that arises out of a Body when liquor is consumed.
  There is thus no Self separate from the Body and capable of going to the heavenly world
  or obtaining release; the Body alone is the conscious Self. For this assertion they allege
  the reason stated, “On account of its existence where a Body is.” Wherever something exists
  if another exists, and does not exist if that another does not exist, we determine the
  former to be a quality of the latter: e.g. light and heat are determined to be qualities
  of fire. As life, intelligence, memory and so on – which are considered qualities of the
  Self – are observed only within a Body and not outside, and as an abode of those qualities,
  different from the Body, cannot be proved, it follows that they must be qualities of the
  Body only. The Self therefore is not different from the Body.
 
There are many arguments given by the Opponent who regards the Self to be identified with or linked to the Body:
 
1) The existence of the Self is dependent on the Body: Everywhere, every time, one always observes a Body. Therefore, the Self
is non-different from the Body. (The case of Deep Sleep, the Opponent may argue that there is no observation at all).
2) The Self “arises” out of the Body, like a Property emerges out of a material object: Just as “intoxication” is not observed
in liquor, but is observed when liquor comes in contact with a person, the Self “springs up” from the bodily constituents.
To give a modern analogy – there is no “liquidity” in either Hydrogen or Oxygen, but their combination has this property.
Similarly with the Self and the Bodily elements.
3) The “closest attributes” of the Self are observed to be “within” the Body: All that one presumes as being “connected” to
the Self – especially Memory and Intelligence – are perceived as “within” the Body, not outside it. If Memory and Intelligence
are always attached to the Body, why not the Self too?
 
The Opponent’s arguments seem sound indeed – those who believe in the Self as either identical to or an attribute of the Body,
will readily accept them as right.
 
Besides sophisticated “philosophical” arguments, ordinary people take the Self to be the Body. When one refers to “Devadatta”
(in the English language, a place-holder name like “Tom”), the person is associated with a Body. Without the Body, no person,
hence no Self!
 
 
(To be Continued)
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