A unifying vision between Samsara and Nirvana has been presented in this study by placing human beings at the center of the universe. Once this is accepted, the role of God turns to be nothing. This fact is not acceptable to most of the schools of Indian philosophy because of their strong faith in Brahman as the creator of the universe. In that, this study raises the fundamental question. Since the first cause of universe is the most difficult question, it is suggested to see the creator on the creation itself. An inference has been drawn that the action (karma) of human beings cannot be treated as ignorance, once it is accepted that human beings are at the center of the universe. We human beings have nothing else except the freedom of action. In fact, karma itself is freedom. This volume, in a way, an offshoot of the author's earlier work, Science of Consciousness draws the inferences based on the different systems of Indian philosophy and the philosophy of the West.
Samsara and Nirvana - A Unifying Vision, V.N Misra, Printworld, 2017, Hardcover, 367 pages, $35.00

V.N. Misra, PhD, retired from Indian Economic Service , has worked as Economic Advisor in different ministries of Government of India. He also has the experience of working in various research centres. He had several consultancy assignments with the ADB, FAO, World Bank and IFPRI. Dr Misra has also to his credit more than forty research papers published in reputed journals in the field of agricultural policy and development, labour, employment, rural poverty, etc. He has also co-authored a book, Significance of New Technology for Small Farmers. Dr Misra's study on Terms of Trade is a published work. He has now shifted his interest from economics to philosophy and has recently published his first philosophical study Science of Consciousness: A Synthesis of Vedanta and Buddhism.

CONTENTS: Samsara and Nirvana - A Unifying Vision
Preface			vii
Introduction			1
	II.	Origin and Duration of the Universe (Based on Indian Philosophy)	8
	III.	Universe and Its Samsara (Empirical World)	10
	IV.	Location of Samsara (Empirical World)	27
	V.	Individual Self as Centre of Samsara	30
	VI.	Immanent Aspect of Consciousness	35
	VII.	Manifestation of Consciousness	40
	VIII.	Time and Space	48
	IX.	Causality	49
	X.	Nirvana and Moksa	50
PART I SAMSARA
1.	Karma and Rebirth		55
	I.	Introduction	55
	II.	Defining Karma	57
	III.	Karma as Individuality	59
	IV.	Karma as Ignorance	60
	V.	Karma and Knowledge	62
	VI.	Nature of Karma	63
	VII.	Karma-Nirodha (Cessation of Action)	66
	VIII.	Only Deed Exists, but No Doer in Buddhism	67
	IX.	Karmic Impressions (Vasanas) and Dispositions (Samskaras)	70
	X.	Karmic Seeds and Alaya-vijnana of Yogacara Vijnanavada Buddhism	75
	XI.	Karma Based on Philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre	86
2.	Space and Time		94
	I.	Introduction	94
	II.	Vaisesika Philosophy	96
	III.	Philosophy of Samkhya-Yoga	106
	IV.	Advaita Vedanta	108
	V.	Space and Time as Illusion	111
	VI.	Philosophy of Bauddha Dharma: Madhyamika System	114
	VII.	Time and Space (Eternity and Infinity)	115
	VIII.	Hume's Philosophy	118
	IX.	Kant's Philosophy	118
	X.	Scientific Views on Time and Space	123
	XI.	Consciousness and Time	126
3.	Substantiality and Causality		134
	I.	Introduction	134
	II.	Causality: An Overview	134
	III.	Vaisesika Theory of Causation	139
	IV.	Samkhya Theory of Causation	144
	V.	Advaita Vedanta	148
	VI.	Philosophy of Bauddha Dharma	152
	VII.	Hume's Views on Causation and Causality	159
	VIII.	Kant's Concept of Causality	161
	IX.	Scientific Views on Causality	163
4.	Continuity		167
	I.	Introduction	167
	II.	Matter as Atom and Particles	168
	III.	Complementarity in Duality of Matter	170
	IV.	Energy as Basis of Universe	172
	VI.	Prakrti	175
	VII.	Consciousness	178
	VIII.	The Concept of Samskara of Samkhya-Yoga	179
	IX.	Advaita Vedanta Theory of Samskara (Disposition)	183
	X.	The Concept of Samskara in the Philosophy of Bauddha Dharma	185
PART II LIFE, CONSCIOUSNESS AND KNOWLEDGE
5.	Life and Consciousness		191
	I.	Introduction	191
	II.	Prana as Vital Principle of Life	192
	III.	Convertibility of Prana into Consciousness	197
	IV.	Life as Interaction of Consciousness and Matter	198
	V.	Dualistic Philosophy of Samkhya-Yoga: Purusa and Prakrti	199
	VI.	Interaction between Prakrti and Purusa	212
	VII.	David Bohm's Views on Consciousness and Matter	218
	VIII.	Implications of Main Tendencies of Self-Consciousness for Human Life	220
	IX.	Consciousness as Transmigration and Buddhist Soul	223
	X.	Theory of Five Kosas	225
6.	Autopoiesis as Systems View of Life: Some Problems and Its Reconciliation		233
	I.	Introduction	233
	II.	Autopoiesis	233
	III.	Interaction of Living Organism with Environment	235
	IV.	Cognitive Function in General	236
	V.	Cognitive Function in Particular	237
	VI.	The Observer	239
	VII.	Brain States and Cognition	241
	VIII.	Sense Perception and Cognition	242
	IX.	Consciousness and Its Coverage (Defining Consciousness)	245
	X.	Mind as Process	249
	XI.	Consciousness as Process	249
	XII.	Two Types of Consciousness	251
	XIII.	Consciousness as Unity	252
7.	Problem of Knowledge and Perception in Advaita Vedanta		254
	I.	Introduction	254
	II.	Self-consciousness and Knowledge	256
	III.	Consciousness as Foundational Knowledge	257
	IV.	Consciousness as Witness	262
	V.	Mind and Consciousness	265
	VI.	Sense Organs and Objects of Perception	268
	VII.	Mental Mode of Advaita Vedanta	271
	VIII.	Perceptual Illusion	276
PART III NIRVANA
8.	Concept of Nirvana in Buddhism		281
	I.	Introduction	281
	II.	Purification of Consciousness	285
	III.	Nirvana as Pure Consciousness	289
	IV.	Nirvana as Dharmakaya	292
	V.	Nirvana as Absolute Reality	294
	VI.	Nirvana in Lankavatarasutra	295
	VII.	Madhyamika View of Nirvana	295
	VIII.	Sautrantika View of Nirvana	300
	IX.	Madhanta-Vibhanga	303
9.	Liberation (Moksa) in Advaita Vedanta		305
	I.	Introduction	305
	II.	Liberation as Self-Realization	307
	III.	The Locus of Ignorance	310
	IV.	Three States of Consciousness (Sleep, Dream and Waking)	311
	V.	Means of Liberation	319
Epilogue			325
Bibliography			334
Index			346