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Jathi and Bhava in 'The Phaedo'

By Isha Gamlath, E-Mail : isha@kln.ac.lk
 Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Classics University of Kelaniya, Srilanka

 

The Buddhist cannoa is threefold : the sutta (doctrines), the Vinaya (discipline of monks) and the Abhidhamma (teachings of Buddha). The Suttas consist of five Nikayas: Digha,Majjhima, Samyutta, Anguttara and khuddaka. The Abhidhamma contain seven works : Patthana, Dhammasangani, dhatukatha, Puggalapannati, Vibhanga, Yamaka and Kathavattu. The doctrines embodied in these above literature is known as Theravada. The founder of Buddhism. Siddhartha Gautama, born in the mid 6th century B. C. is known to have written nothing. It was only after his death that his teaching were complied. The exact date of the Buddhist canonical literature is unknown. Buddhism, which is known to have drawn inspiration from the Samkhya and Yoga systems, is an eminent milestone in the history of Indian philosophy. The major Theravada schools, Sautrantka, Vaibhasika, Yogacara and Madhyamika contributed largely to the development of diverse systems of knowledge in Hindu thought.

Buddha never spoke of a soul but Plato did. Both Plato and Buddha accept that the theory of rebirth. Plato's ideas in the Phaedo are not entirely Buddhist but more Pythagorean and Orphic. Still, they throw light on Jati or Birth and Bhava or previous existence. Buddha spoke of the deliverance from the sansaric cyclic. The Pheado reflects the release of the soul. Deliverance from the sansaric cycle and the release of the soul coincide with each other because both depend on the cessation of Jati and bhava. This confines to the study of jati and bhava prevalent in both Buddhist teachings and in the Phaedo.

Liberation of the soul from the bondage of the body is the cardinal doctrine taught by the reincarnationists in ancient Greece during the 7th century B. C. and the 2nd century B. C. This doctrine is manifested in the philosophical discussion in the Phaedo. The moment it begins is tense. Socrates, the major speaker is cautiously awaiting death. It makes a perfect setting for the liberation of the philosopher's soul. The discussion proceeds with the implication that jati depends on bhava. The pre-existence of the soul is recognized and so is the cycle nature of sansara; from bhava established. These ideas coincide with the Buddhist teachings of bhavachakra or the wheel of rebirth. Bhavachakra produces jati and jaramarana or decay and death. Jarmarana is the cause of soka or grief, vedana or pleasure and pain and dukkhadoma-nassa or misery and depression.

Bhava depends on karma or actions. The fruits of punya or merits and papa or demerits and experienced either in this jati or some other jati in bhava. Nagasena in Milinda Panha says:

"It is through a difference in their karmas that men are not all alike but some long lived, some short lived, some healthy and some sickly, some handsome and some ugly, some powerful and some weak, some rich and some poor, some of high degree and some of low degree, some wise and some foolish." (2)

A similar idea is explained in the Upanishads: "as a man does so will he be born".(3) In keeping with the Buddhist view of karma which prolongs or reduces jati in bhava the Phaedo maintains that those who have been lawless" and "violent" on earth will be reborn as wolves, hawks and kites; the "selfish" gluttonous" and "drunkards" as donkies and good citizens as bees, wasps and ants. (4)

The sansaric cycle or bhava will be prolonged if by avijjna and asava. The asavas or desires are categorized in the Dhammasangani as kamasava or desire for sensual pleasure bhavasava or ignorance of soka or grief, its cause and it's extinction. (5) The Phaedo elaborates on all four of these asavas. The association of wisdom. Who has no desire for food, drink, sexual pleasures, smart clothes, shoes, bodily ornaments (6) and also loves, desires, fears, fancies, non-sense, wars, revolution, battles. (7) The cessation of bhavasava corresponds with the philosopher's non-attachment to life "since philosophers make dying their profession and that to them 9f all men death is the least alariming". (8) The withdrawal from ditthasava corresponds with the philosopher's desire for pure knowledge of the Absolutes. For e.g. snow is a nama and coldness is it's rupa or quality. Nama or Forms do not admit on apposite to itself. That which does not admit death is immortal. (9) The philosopher is to realize this true knowledge. (10) Lastly, the philosopher has no avijjasava. Socrates is conscious that a man who has devoted his life to philosophy should be cheerful in the face of death and confident of finding the greatest blessing in the next world when his life is finished." (11)

Asavas correspond with kilesas. Kilesas are produced with asavas. Kilesas like lobha or covetousness, devesa or anger and moha or pride prevent the acquisition of nirvana. It is from these kilesas that three kinds of karma arises vachika or of speech, kayika or of body and manasika or of mind. The removal of kilesas are exactly what the philosopher in the Pheado does right throughout his life. The soul in jati is in possession of bondage of the body. It is trapped in prison bars. (12) The soul or the helpless prisoner has taken to be taken over by philosophy so that jati caused by bhava can be prevented. Jati and bhava have worn down the soul by kilesas. Philosophy offers and opportunity for it's release from sensory pleasures. Socrates explains:

"Now the soul of the true philosopher feels that it must not reject this opportunity for release and so it abstains as far as possible from pleasures and desires and grief's because it reflects that the result of giving way to pleasure or fear or desire is not as might be supposed the trivial misfortune of becoming ill or wasting money through self-indulgence but the last and worst calamity of a all which the sufferer does not recognize." (13)

The path of deliverance from the sansaric cycle lies in the ariya astangika marga or eightfold path. It enables the prevention of jati caused by bhava and approaches the sage towards nirvana.

"Ayameva ariyo attangiko maggo asava nirodhagamini patipada, seyyathidam, sammadhitti, samma sankappo, samma vacha, samma kammantho, samma ajivo, samma vayamo, samma sati, samma samadhi". (14)

The eightfold path consists of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right life, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. The Phaedo does not record this eightfold path in particular. But the philosopher follows the right path directed by philosophy in order to achieve his goal jati. Jati is the cause of decay. Jati is the appearance of the body. Pleasures of the body result from sparsa or contact create vedana or pleasure and pain. Plato compares pleasure and pain to "a rivet with which it fastens the soul to the body and pains down and makes it corporeal accepting as true whatever the body certifies." (15)

Bhava and all the vedana that associate jati can only be annihilated by practicing sila or right conduct, samadhi or concentration and pagnna or wisdom. The philosopher's sole aim in life is the acquisition of pagnna. He gains pagnna through recollection.(16) The soul is immortal and it existed previously in bhava. Therefore, it has knowledge. It recollects what it sees and hears in this jati. Knowledge consist of the understanding of opposites and specially that soul and body are always in opposition with each other. (17) Absolutes never change but qualities do. Socrates takes examples like men, horses, clothes etc. and says:

"These concrete objects you can touch and see and perceive by your other senses but those constant entities you cannot possibly apprehend except by thinking". (18)

Sila, samadhi and pagnna can be observed only by practice. The Buddhist laymen is expected to observe the panchasila and meditate in order to realize the futile nature of jati which is caused by bhava. Panchasila appears in the form of five prohibitions.

Panathipatho or prohibition from destroying lives of others. 
Addinnadano or prohibition from stealing. 
Kamesummichchacharo or prohibition from sex outside marriage. 
Musavadmo or prohibition from telling lies. 
Sirameraya majjapamadattano or prohibition from drinking string liquors.

On observing sila on a full moon poya day he is expected to observe atasil which includes three more prohibitions to panchasila. They are :

Vikalabhojana or prohibition from taking food other than in permitted times.

Nachchagita visuka dassanomala gandhavilepana prohibition form dance, singing, music, drama, garlands, incense, perfumes and also dharana mandana vidhusanadattana or prohibition from all things that do not allow concentration on sila. Uchchasayana mahasayana or prohibition from the use of high or low seats.

Habitual indulgence in sila, samadhi, pagnna help create bhrahmavishara or the fourfold meditation. They consist of:

Metta or love for all creation.
Karuna or sympathy for all creation.
Mudita or happiness for all creation.
Upekkha or indifference for all creation.

Bhrahmavihara associates universal concern. The cultivation of ekagrata or regularity of mind and the acquisition of jnana leads to paramasukha or ultimate bliss. He, then, removes all bandha or attachments. There will be no rebirth. But only and absolute cessation from all bandha caused by bhava. He is no longer in possession of tanha or thrushna or desire. He takes food as one who has ceased all desired but for the sake of sustenance. The Visuddhimagga describes :

"I man capana ahere patikulasannam, anuyuttassa bhikkhuno vastanbaya cittam patiliyati patikuttati, pativatti, sokanthanitt-haranatthiko viya pattamamsam vigatamado aharem ahareti yavad eva dukkassa nittaranatthaya".

"The mind of him who inspires himself with this supreme disgust of all food becomes free from all desires from all desires for palatable tastes and turns it's back to them and flies off from them. As a means of getting rid of all sorrow he takes his food without any attachment as one could eat the flesh of his own son to sustain himself in crossing a forest." (19)

Furthermore the Buddhist sage's nature is described in Altadanda Sutta:

"The muni does not reckon himself among the plain, nor amongst the low, nor amongst the distinguished being calm and freed from avarice he does not grasp after nor reject anything." (20)

The Buddhist sage who is conscious of the vanity of jati and the sorrow it causes and who has realized that bhavachakra is caused by karma becomes and arhat. This is a stage in which there is a total extinction of the citta or mind. (21) There is no rebirth and the bhavachakra comes to an end. There is no further clinging to anything. The Attavagga notes this stage as"

"Uda vindu yathapi pokkhare padme yathapi na lippati evam muni nopalippati yata idam ditta sutam mutesu va."

"As a drop of water does not stick to a lotus so the muni does not cling to anything, namely to what is seen, heard or thought." (22)

The attainment of nirvana is the sole sukkha or happiness for the arhat. So is the attainment of pure bliss for the philosopher in the Phaedo. That is nothing else but the release of the soul from the bondage of bhava. He has practiced philosophy to such and extent that he is very similar to the arhat who ceases from allbandha. Socrates says:

"It seems that so long as we are alive we shall continue closest to knowledge if we avoid as much as we can all contact and association with the body expect when they are absolutely necessary": and instead of allowing ourselves to become infect with its nature, purify ourselves from it until God himself gives us deliverance".(23)

The release of the soul is so welcome that,

".... it passes into the realm of the pure and everlasting and immortal and changeless: and being of a kindred nature when it is once independent and free from interference, consorts with it always and strays no longer but remains in that realm of the absolute constant and invariable through contact with beings of a similar nature. And this condition of the soul we call Wisdom". (24)

It is also a place which is "invisible", divine, immortal and wise." (25) The "absolute, constant and invariable" coincides with the arhat who remains in pure bliss:

"As in the depth of these a no wave is born (but as it) remains still so let the Bhikku be still, without desire, let him not desire anything whatever". (26)

The soul of the philosopher who has practiced philosophy and gained wisdom leaves the body of this jati in order to join the company of other souls who possess self control and goodness and courage and liberality and truth." (27) It is interesting to note that this company "live thereafter altogether without bodies and reach habitations even more beautiful." (28) This bodiless state is in some way similar to nirvana.

The final extinction of sorrow caused by jati and bhava is all that both the Buddhist Bhikku and philosopher in the Phaedo strive for. They both realize that jati is a hindrance for attaining pure bliss, namely nirvana for the Buddhist and wisdom for the philosopher. Jait occurs in a body. The body is the cause of all sorrow, decay and bhava. In a bodiless state both Buddhist and philosopher are in ananda, absolute happiness. They have shed all desire for existence. They have ceased from all desire for jati and bhava.

The final words of Buddha before parinivvana and those of Socrates before he takes the poison are very similar. The Buddha says,

"Handa dhani bhikku we amanthayami vo,
Vayadhamma sankara Appamadeno amathapadam" (29)

" I address you, Bikkus, every formation is subject to decay. Observe dharma without delay."

Socrates says,

"If you look after yourselves, whatever you do will please me and nine and you too even if you don't agree with me now. On the other hand if you neglect yourselves and fail to follow the line of life as I have laid it down both now and in the past however fervently you agree with me now, it will do no good at all". (30)

Both emphasize that everything is bound to change and that the only thing that does not change is wisdom or nirvana. The soul does not admit the body nor does it admit the pleas ures it offers. This forms the basis of Buddhist teachings. In order to attain nirvana and wisdom it is necessary to indulge in the thought that jati and bhava and nothing else but a hindrance.

Foot Notes

1. Plato, Phaedo, 76B - 77B.
2. Milinda Panha in Dasgupta, p.107.
3. Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, IV. 5.5.
4. Phaedo, 80B - 81C.
5. Dhammasangani in Dasgupta, p. 99.
6. Phaedo, 62E - 64A.
7. 65C - 65E.
8. 67A - 68B.
9. 105A - 105E.
10. 77E - 78D.
11. 62E - 64A.
12. 81D - 83A.
13. 81D - 83A
14. Majjhima Nikaya Samme ditti suttam 9.
15. 81D-83A
16. 71A - 72B;72B - 73D; 74E - 76A.
17. 77E - 80A.
18. 77C - 78D.
19. Visuddhimagga in Dasgupta, p.347.
20. Sital Prashad, p.131.
21. Majjhima Nikaya, p.216. and Visuddhimagga, in Dasgupta, p.167 - 168.
22. Attawagga iv in Prashad, p.130.
23. Phaedo, 65C - 66E.
24. 78E - 80A.
25. 80B - 81C.
26. Thuvaluka sutta 6/920 in Prashad, p.130.
27. 114A - 115D.
28. 112D - 114A.
29. Digha Nikaya, Mahaparinibbana Sutta, in Diksangiya, p.146.
30. Phaedo, 114A - 115D.

Bibliography

Prashad, S

A Comparative Study of Jainism and Buddhism, Sri Satguru Publications India, 1932.

Dasgupta, S

A History of Indian Philosophy, Vol.1, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers 1922.

Dgha Nikaya

Rhys Davids, The Dialogs of Buddha 3 vSols. London, 1899, 1910, 1951.

Majjhima Nikaya

J. B. Horner, the Collection of Middle Length sayings, 3 Sols. London, 1954-59. PTS.

Anguttara Nikaya

E. M. Hare, Vols. 111. and IV, The Book of the gradual sayings, London, 1955-1970 PTS.

Rev Balangoda, M

Diksangiya, Abhaya Publications, Mt. Lavinia, Sri Lanka, 1965.

Plato

The Phaedo in the last Days of Socrates, translated by High Tredennick, Clays Ltd. U. K. 1954.

 

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