Spiritual basis of moral conception

In consonance with the Vedic thought, Caraka believes that the ultimate reality is the very essence of the universe as well as an inner self of man and it sets for him a spiritual goal of “complete freedom” from all forms of suffering as higher than any other goal to which his mundane inclinations lead to. The moral conception underpinned is based on the belief of the unity of everything at the transcendent level. The basic postulates of the mortality of the self, the law of action (karma), rebirth or transmigration, and liberation are being discussed with due importance in Caraka. In this sense, its moral conceptions are directed towards the attainment of individual liberation (mokṣa.). But it cannot be interpreted as self-centric forthe reason that it never tolerated the idea of pessimistic sentiments denouncing the world and exalting world renunciation as a way of getting liberated from transmigratory existence by following the way of mendicants.^[1]

Caraka believes in the world of suffering. But he does not ask to reject the socio-moral obligations for the sake of liberation. His ethical outlook is not life-negating. On the other hand, he puts forth a moral outlook which is fully world-and-life affirming. Caraka was circumspect of the realty that all activities of human-beings are directed towards the achievement of happiness.^[2] Even though Caraka speaks of the four “aims of life”, namely righteousness (dharma), material prosperity (artha), desires (kāma), and liberation (mokṣa),^[3] he emphasizes the first three which can be construed more subtly perhaps as attitudes or orientations^[4] than the final aim of life—liberation (mokṣa). He says that one should discard unwholesome attitudes and adopt wholesome ones in regard to righteousness (dharma), material prosperity (artha), and desire (kāma), for no happiness or pain can occur without these three factors.^[5] It vindicates that his prime concern is mundane life and happiness. A happy man is one who is free from all vices such as physical violence, adultery, theft, and persecution. Such a person can only relish the fruits of dharma, artha, and kāma.^[6]