24
I shall now state what is meant (in the Aryan doctrine) by the seven principles above ennmerated.
I.—Prakriti. This is the basis of Sthûlasaríram and represents it in the above-mentioned classification.
II. Prakriti and Sakti.—This is the Lingasaríram, or astral body.
III. Sakti.—This principle corresponds to your Kámarupa. This power or force is placed by ancient occultists in the Nâbhîchakram. This power can gather akâsa or prakriti and mould it into any desired shape. It has very great sympathy with the fifth principle, and can be made to act by its influence or control.
IV. Brahmam, Sakti, and Prakriti.—This again corresponds to your second principle, Jívtámá. This power represents the universal life-principle which exists in nature. Its seat is the Anákatachakram (heart). It is a force or power which constitutes what is called Jíva, or life. It is, as you say, indestructible, and its activity is merely transferred at the time of death to another set of atoms, to form another organism. But it is not called Jívâtmâ in our philosophy. The term Jívâtmâ is generally applied by our philosophers to the seventh principle when it is distinguished from Paramâtmâ or Parabrahmam.*[1]
V. Brahm and Prakriti.—This, in our Aryan philosophy, corresponds to your fifth principle, called the Physical Intelligence. According to our philosophers, this is the entity in which what is called Mind has its seat or basis. This is the most difficult principle of all to explain, and the present discussion entirely turns upon the view we take of it.
- ↑ * The impersonal Parahrahmam thus being made to merge or separate itself into a personal "Jivâtma" or the personal god of every human creature. This is, again, a difference necessitated by the Brahmanical-belief in a God whether personal or impersonal, while the Buddhist Arahats, rejecting this idea entirely, recognise no deity apart from man.—See Appendix, Note V.—Ed.