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 256

A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
dveşa), attachment and hardship (kleśa). Patañjali says avidyā, asmitā rāga-dveṣa and abhinivesa are the five obstacles or hardships which cause misery and which bring obstructions to the path of liberation. He has suggested that avidya is the root cause of all these things.1 Iśvarkriṣṇa' in the Sankhyakārikā has elaborated the five obstacles in the way to self-realisation. Kaṇāda has said avidyā is the root cause which gives rise to all sorts of passions and difficulties. Kathopanisad and the Bhagavadgītā have also empasised that avidya is the primary cause of all passions and difficulties. In the Buddhist literature, like the Majjhimanikaya it has been described that the Buddha has said that avidya is the root cause of misery because it leads to craving tṛṣṇā and other blemishes."
Jainism asserts that the root cause of samsara is darśanamoha & căritramoha. Darśanamoha refers ignorance or perversity of attitude in the sense of avidya used in other Indian thought. In the other system s of Indian philosophy, this has been referred to the cause of all blemishes. Caritramoha is perversity in conduct which has been referred to by other systems of Indian philosophy as asmitā, rāga, dveşa and tṛṣṇa. In this sense, the Indian systems of philosophy, including the Jainas, have given prominence to avidya (nescience) as the root cause of misery.
Kanāda says that avidya can be removed by vidyā (discriminative knowledge). Patanjali calls it vivekakhyāti. Akṣapāda has used the term tattvajñāna or samyagjñāna (right knowledge). The Buddhist have suggested that 'vipassana' or prajña are analogous to vidya. The Jaina have used the word samyagjñāna (right knowledge). It causes the destruction of kaşayas and other blemishes.
From the spiritual point of view, avidya is perversity of know
1 Yogadarsana 2, 3-4
2 Sankhyakārikā 47-48.
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3 Nyayasutra 1, 1, 2: Nyayasutra 4, 1, 3: 4. 1. 6.
4 Kathopanisad 1, 2, 5.
5 Bhagavadgitä 5, 15.
6 Majjhimanikāya ↑ mahatannesamkāya sutta 38,