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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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
may not have seen the Jaina āgamas. They might not have been available to them.
The Jainas darśana is dualistic. According to the Jainas the universe is constituted of two fundamental principles. We may call them dravyas, the jiva and the ajīva. The jiva is pure and simple. It is characterised by consciousness and upayoga. It is also characterised by infinite knowledge and intuition, and infinite energy. It is active. Due to its activity it comes into contact with the material karma and gets involved in the wheel of sarhsára. This involvement is beginningless. But it has an end. One can attain moksa by removing the kārmic particles.
Just as Jainism is dualistic, Sankhya is also dualistic. According to the Sankhya philosophers, there are two ultimate principles-the puruşa and prakrti. The purusz is pure consciousness, but it is passive. Prakrti is jadi, it is unconsciousness, but is active. When the prakrti comes into the proximity of the puruşa, the disturbance in the gun as of the sattva, rajas and tamas takes place and the evolution of the universe starts. This entire universe is the product of prakrti, in the presence of puruşa. Puruşa is only a spectator of the dancedramı of prakrti through which the universe evolve.
The Jaina darśana's ajīva tattva with reference to pudgala is alluded to prakrti of Sinkhya. The universe is the product of prakrti according to Sähkhya and according to Jainism the variegated universe is due to the infinite modes of the pudgala (matter). The major aspect of the praksti of the Sankhya can be compared to the Jaina conception of pudgala and ākāša."
The Sankhya philosophers say that the reality of puruşa is self evident. There is no need to prove the existence of the self. Similarly, puruşa is self-illuminative, just as the lamp illumines itself and illumines the surrounding area. It is not necessary to prove this essential characteristic of the puruṣa. Puruşa is neither the indriyas nor the
1 (a) Munidvaya Abhinandana Grantha, Darsana aur Jaina darsana.
Muni Sri Nathamalji p. 125. (b) Muni Nathamalji : Satya ki Khoj, Anekānta ke Aloka me.