«Бгагавад-гіта» – перший досвід метафізичного синтезу

Abstract

У статті розкривається своєрідність метафізичного знання видатної памятки давньоіндійської літератури «Бгагавад-Гіти» як універсальної теоретичної моделі індуістської метафізики Шляху.

The development of the ancient Indian mental revolution in the period of axial time of VII – IV centuries B.C. led to significant transformations of the valuethinking space of ancient Indian culture. In the III – I centuries B.C. in ancient India the epoch of great synthesis of the material was started. For the deep spiritual and moral integration of ancient Indians, it was necessary to carry out religious metaphysical synthesis. Three great works were created: “The Mahabharata”, “The Bhagavad Gita” and “The Manavadharmashastra”, which in a certain sense realized the most important task of integrating the ancient Indian Spirit into one whole. “The Mahabharata” solved the super task of mental synthesis not for a single nation or state, but for all at once and without any violence. It is a unique experience of modeling the history, accomplished by Brahmanas-rishi. “The Code of Manu” as a kind of code of imperative knowledge gave a single mental complex a binding character. The article is devoted to the study of the outstanding written source “The Gita” as a universal theoretical model of the Hindu metaphysics of the Way. “The Gita” was created about III – II centuries B.C. It was a holistic, general theoretical model of the Hindu metaphysics of the Way. “The Gita” combined the developments of various schools of the Brahmanist tradition. The greatness of “The Gita” is also expressed in the fact that it acted as a universal theoretical model of Hindu metaphysics. Its fundamental provisions became basic for the main schools and trends of Vedanta. Universality, public validity, popularity in all strata of Indian society for many centuries made “The Gita” the paradigm of the Indian Spirit, which set the system of mystical-metaphysical contemplation of Indians. “The Gita” as a system of metaphysical knowledge consists of three subsystems: the speculative knowledge of the transcendental divine reality, the presentation of the difficult way of its attainment – yoga, and the description of the highest ecstatic state of the bliss of an ascetic, or contemplation of the Atman in oneself and Brahman in the world. The creators of “The Gita” considered Vishnu as a universal, immanent, essential, inner reality of every creation. In the metaphysics of the Way the progress was supposed toward mystical-metaphysical contemplation and toward true liberation, not so much by mastery of inmost knowledge, as through severe asceticism. Therefore, in the metaphysics of the Way meaning is given not so much to the creation of a theoretical model of the transcendental divine reality as to the development of the optimal, most productive methodology for achieving the ultimate goal of the mystical-metaphysical contemplation of God. In various versions of the metaphysics of the Way this state is called “liberation”, “immortality”, “nirvana”, “enlightenment”, “salvation”, “the knowledge of God”. The knowledge of the Way was mostly of methodological nature. In the body of the metaphysics of the Way this knowledge constituted the basic part. In “The Gita” as a classic creation of the Hindu metaphysics of the Way, the methodological instructions of Krishna in achieving liberation also occupied a central place and also constituted the greater part of the work. The laborious system of practical work in metaphysics of the Way necessarily requires a developed conception of moral self-perfection. Moral imperatives – truthfulness, humility, renuciation and others – lead to a significant restructuring of value-thinking orientations, to the destruction of profane aspirations and the development of purely spiritual, reasonably-virtuous ones. Thus, “The Gita” was the first experience of the conceptual synthesis of the Hindu metaphysics of the Way. Before its creation the material was scattered in “The Upanishads” and other works. Previously a relative synthesis of metaphysical knowledge was achieved in “The Maitri Upanishad”. The main representations of the metaphysical reality of the Atman–Brahman, the difficult way of practical fulfillment and mystical liberation was spelled out in a systematic form firstly in “The Gita”. “The Gita” set the highest pattern and became a paradigm for the brahmanas and hermits.