Page:A History of Indian Philosophy Vol 1.djvu/103

v] Theory 0/ Rebirth 87 enunciated in the Upaniads. The Brhadarar:tyaka says that just as an insect going to the end of a leaf of grass by a new effort collects itself in another so does the soul coming to the end of this life collect itself in another. This life thus presupposes another existence. So far as I remember there has seldom been before or after Buddha any serious attempt to prove or disprove the doctrine of rebirth 1. All schools of philosophy except the Carva:kas believed in it and so little is known to us of the Ca:r- va:ka siitras that it is difficult to say what they did to refute this doctrine. The Buddha also accepts it as a fact and does not criticize it. This life therefore comes only as one which had an infinite number of lives before, and which except in the case of a few emancipated ones would have an infinite number of them in the future. It was strongly believed by all people, and the Buddha also, when he came to think to what our present birth might be due, had to fall back upon another existence (blzava). If bhava means karma which brings rebirth as Candrakjrtti takes it to mean, then it would mean that the present birth could only take place on account of the works of a previous existence which determined it. Here also we are reminded of the Upaniad note U as a man does so will he be born" ( Yat karma kurute tadabki- sampadyate, Brh. IV. iv. 5). Candrakjrtti's interpretation of"bhava" as Karma (punarblzavajallakam karma) seems to me to suit better than" existence." The word was probably used rather loosely for ka1Jl11labllava. The word bhava is not found in the earlier U paniads and was used in the Pa:li scriptures for the first time as a philosophical term. But on what does this bhava depend? There could not have been a previous existence if people had not betaken themselves to things or works they desired. This betaking oneself to actions or things in accord- ance with desire is called upadana. In the U paniads we read, "whatever one betakes himself to, so does he work" (Yatkratur- bhavati tatkllrmma kuyute, Rrh. IV. iv. 5). As this betaking to the thing depends upon desire (tr-F1(i), it is said that in order that there may be upa:da:na there must be tal!ha. I n the U pani- ads also we read "vVhatever one desires so does he betake himself to" (sa yatlzakiimo bllavati tatkraturblza'l'ati). Neither the word upada:na nor trl!a: (the Sanskrit word corresponding 1 The attempts to prove the doctrine of rebirth in the Hindu philosophical work£ such as the Nyaya, etc., are slight and inadequate.