Source Book in Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 001263
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Devendramuni
Publisher: Tarak Guru Jain Granthalay
Publication Year: 1983
Total Pages: 590
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 10 MB

Page 124

A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
103
Brahman can only be in the negative as “neti-neti'.1 The Brahman is neither gross nor atomic, neither small nor large, neither water nor any liquid, neither shadow por darkness, neither wind nor ākāśa, neither the aggregate nor having qualities like taste, smell, neither eye nor speech nor mind. It is neither light nor prāna (life force). It is not mouth. It is neither in or out.
t 5 SIZE OF THE SOUL (PARIMĀŅA)
In the Upanişads we get different views regarding the size of the soul. It has been said that the ātman which is manomaya is within the heart and is of the size of grain of rice.
There is a view which says at the size of ātman is equal to the distance of the top of thumb to ihu tip of fore-finger. 4
The ātman is considered to be pervading the body.5 There is another view which says that ātman is all pervading.
There is another view which says that the ātman as residing in the heart and which is greater than the earth, than the space, than the world and in fact greater than all the universe.?
According to the Jainas, the jīva is eternal and has no end. Every jīva pervades infinite points of space. It has the capacity of pervasion. At the time of Kerali samudghāta the ātman pervades the entire universe for some time and at the time of the death of mundane soul pervades partially, and has infinite pradeśas.
The dharma, adharma, lokākāśa and jīva occupy equal number of space, points but from the point of view of measurement they do not occupy the equal number of space-points. Dharma, Adharma and Lokākāśa, are receptive and they do not express any qualities of action and reaction and there is no effect of any type. Sansārī jīvas 1 Brhadāranyaka Upanişad 4, 5, 15-Sa Esa Neti-Neti. 2 Brhadāraṇyaka Upanişad 3, 9, 8. 3 Ibid, 5 6. 4 Chandogya Up. 5, 18, 1-Pradeśa mātram. 5 Kausītaki Up. 35, 4, 20 Eşa prajñātmā idam-śarīramanu praviştah. 6 Mundaka Up. 1, 1, 6.–Sarvagataḥ 7 Chandog ya Up. 3, 14, 3. 8 Bhagavati 2, 10-Jivätthikāye-loye, loyamette, loyappamāne. 9 Bhaghavati 6, 6, 17.