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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78
A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
there was first the view of ātman as prāna and later came the theory of ātman as the mind. Mind is subtler than the sense-organs and the prāņa. The philosophers do not uniformly agree as to the nature of the mind, whether it is material or immaterial. Some have suggested that the mind is immaterial, but the Naiyāyikasa and Vaisesikas3 have considered mind as atomic in nature. It is different from the material substances like earth, water, etc. Sāṁkhya darsana maintains that the mind evolved out of ahamkāra before the evolution of the pañcabhūtas and therefore the mind is subtler than the bhūtas (elements). Vaibhāșika school of Buddhism maintains that mind is of the nature of vijñāna and it is an expression of vijñāna.4
Nyāya philosophers have sometimes considered mind as ātman5 because mind is different from the body as we make a distinction between the body and soul. Mind is all-pervasive. Mind comprehends all that the sepse-organs grasp. Therefore, mind is considered to be ātman and it is not necessary to make a distinction between the ātman and mind. 6
Taittirīya Upanişad also says that mind is the ātman (anyoàntarātinā manoma yaḥ).?
The Brhadāraṇyaka Upanişad discusses the nature of the mind from different aspects. Mind is considered to be the highest truth (paramabrahma samrāt).8 Сhāndog ya Upanişad makes mind the Brahman.9 Tejobindu Upanişad describes mind in various ways and gives supreme importance to mind. Mind is the whole universe. Mind is the greatest enemy and due to mind we suffer untold misery. Mind is Kāla (time). Mind is sarnkalpa (will). Mind is jīva (soul). Mind is citta (consciousness). Mind is ahamkāra (indivi
vijñānam yaddhi tan
1 Atmamīmāṁsā, p. 15. 2 Nyāyasūtra, 3, 2, 61. 3 Vaiseșikasūtra, 7, 1, 23. 4 Abhidharma Koka-sannămanantarātitan
manah. 5 (a) Nyāyasūtra, 3, 1, 16.
(6) Nyāyavārtika, p. 336. 6 Taittiriya, Up., 2, 3. 7 Brhadaranyaka, Up., 1, 5, 3. 8 Brhadāranyaka, Up., 4, 1, 6. 9 Chāndogya, Up., 7, 3, 1,