Bhagavadgita, cognition, Buddhism?

[Ferenc Ruzsa]

Friends,

perhaps it is too obvious to mention, but I think SK 17 is relevant:
"saMghAta-
parArthatvAt [...] puruSo 'sti" - there must be a soul, because a system
always serves someone else's purpose. Here saMghAta clearly refers to the
body, and its meaning seems to be 'system, organisation, structured compound'.


This fits the context well: BhG 13, 5 listed all the elements (tattva) of
nature, in the order 8 prakRtis - 16 vikAras (cf. Buddhacarita XII, 18-19).
Verse 6 does not add more elements; it mentions two other general factors -
motives (desire and aversion, pleasure and pain) and structuring forces
(organisation, consciousnes and coherence). Perhaps these are those phenomena
in the world that most clearly show the effect of the kSetrajJa.

My best,
Ferenc
--------------------------------------------------------
Ferenc Ruzsa, PhD
associate professor of philosophy
Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest
e-mail: f_ruzsa at isis.elte.hu