Agam 15 Upang 04 Pragnapana Sutra Part 02

SR No.: 001064
Original Sutra Author: Shyamacharya
Author: Punyavijay, Dalsukh Malvania, Amrutlal Bhojak
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay
Publication Year: 1971
Total Pages: 934
Language: Prakrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari, Agam, Canon, Metaphysics, & agam_pragyapana
File Size: 16 MB

Page 428

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CHAPTERS XXIX, XXX, XXXIII
COGNITIVE ACTIVITY OF LIVING BEINGS
Three chapters of Prajñāpana are devoted to the exposition of cognitive activities of living beings. They are the 29th chapter (Upayogapada), the 30th chapter (Paśyattapada) and the 33rd chapter (Avadhipada). Hence we deal with them at one place.
Let us study the following pertinent passages from Acārāngasutra.
"je aya se vinnäyā, je vinnāyā se āyā | jena vijanai se āyā" Acarängasútra, 5.5, su. 165.
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savve sarā niyaṭṭamti, takka jattha na vijjai | mai tattha na gahiya oe appaiṭṭhānassa kheyanne | se na dihe, na hasse, na vaṭṭe, na tamse, na cauramse, na parimamḍale, na kinhe, na nile, na lohie, na hälidde, na sukkile, na surabhigaṁdhe, na durabhigamdhe, na titte, na kaḍue, na kasãe, na ambile, na mahure, na kakkhade, na maue, na gurue, na lahue, na ste, na unhe, na niddhe, na lukkhe, na kāū, na ruhe, na samge, na itthi, na puruse, na annahā, parinne sanne uvamā na vijjai aruvi satta apayassa payam natthi se na sadde na rūve na gamdhe na rase na phase-icceyävamti-tti bemi || "-Acārāngasūtra, 5.6, su. 170-171.
The gist of these passages is that the soul is the knower, it is absolutely devoid of flavour, etc. of any sort, it is aruvi (bereft of physical qualities). Though it is aruvi, it is real.
Bhagavatisutra enumerates the characteristics of soul in the following passage.
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avanne agaṁdhe arase aphase aruvi jive sasae avaṭṭhie logadavve se samãsao paṁcavihe pannatte | tam jaha-davvao jāva gunao davvao nam jivatthikae anamtaim jivadav väim, khettao logappamāṇakhette, kalao na kayai na asi, na kayāvi natthi, jāva nicce, bhavao puna avanne agamdhe arase aphase, gunao uvaoga gune -2.10.118.
This passage too informs us that souls are arūvi (devoid of physical qualities, viz. colour flavour, etc.), they are eternal, their defining quality is upayoga (cognition), they are infinite (ananta) in number. For the first time here in this passage we are told that the defining characteristic of soul is upayoga (cognition).
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Though avadhi is simply a form of upayoga, a separate chapter is devoted to its treatment because at that time its details had already been worked out.