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

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from hopes and fears. Yesterday is dead and tomorrow is unborn. Everything is determined. It is therefore not proper to blame anyone for the failure nor to offer praises for the success.
The first mention of the niyativada is to be found in the Svetasvatura upaniṣad. But the Buddhist tripitakas and the Jaina āgamas have given exhaustive discussion about this theory of niyativāda. In the Dighanikāya Samaññaphila sutta, there is a description of niyativāda as given by Mankhali Gośālaka. According to Mankhali Gośalaka the evil that living beings do, has no other reason except its very necessity. Similarly, the good is necessary and has no other external reasons. We cannot say that we change our destiny and that by our efforts we can build up our personality. The beings in this world experience the pain and sufferings through six types of resistance. Having gone through the 84 lakhs of mahakalpa and the wheel of life, the wise and ignorant are like to become free from misery.1
A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
In the Jaina āgamic literature also, we get beautiful description of niyativada and akriyāvāda. Sūtrakṛtānga, Vyakhyāprajñāpti® and Upāsakadaśānga1 have given adequate description of niyativāda. In the Buddhist literature, it has been suggested that Pakudha Kātyāyana, and Purana Kasyapa advocated niyativada. There is not much of a difference between niyativāda and akriyāvāda. They agree in their fundamental principles. But later the disciples of Purana Kagyapa joined the fold of the disciples of ājīvikas."
Acarya Haribhadra while describing the nature of the niyativāda states that everything is determined by the origination of a thing in a particular way, the states of a thing and its destruction are all deter
5
1 (a) Dighanikāya sāmaññaphala sutta
(b) Buddhacarita, p. 171-Dharmananda Kaugāmbi
2 Sūtrakṛtānga 2, 1, 12; 2, 6
3 Vyakhyāprajñapti, śataka 15
4 Upāsakadaśānga, adhyayana 6-7
5 Dighanikaya÷sämaññphala sutta
6 Buddhacarita p. 179-Dharmānanda Kaugāmbi