Jaina Concept of Omniscience

SR No.: 001547
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ramjee Singh
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1974
Total Pages: 258
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Knowledge
File Size: 17 MB

Page 101

88 GRADATION OF SOULS AND STAGES OF OMNISCIENCE
remove those obstacles. Further, it is not going to be the acquisition of an altogther new attribute, because neither a real thing is liable to destruction nor an unreal one can come into being, 08 Out of nothing, nothing comes. [E] Gradation of Transcendental Self and Omniscience
Par excellence In accordance with the spirit of non-absolutism, the Jainas make a distinction between the real and the ordinary points of view regarding the soul, but there are writers like Kundakunda, Yogindu and a few others, who deal with this problem more from the standpoint of Niscaya. The treatment naturally turns to be highly spiritual. Ātman turns out to be really Paramātman.9 From practical point of view, the Arman because of Karmic association undergoes various operations, 70 but from the real point of view, Atman is not subject to bondage and liberation."1 The author of the work, Sri Yogindra has, no doubt, used both these points of view but ultimately the practical point of view is discarded in favour of the real point of view. Practical view-point is useful and essential in so far as it leads to the realistic view-point, but by itself, it is inadequate. Analogy of a 'cow can do only so long we have not seen a 'gavaya'.
In the final spiritual evolution, the subject-object relation is very much different because the spirit, being endowed with the power of omniscience, is able to see all objects without having senses.72 Kundakunda in Samaya Sāra, gives instructions how to know the real self (Sva-Samaya). This SvaSamaya73 or the Ego-in-itself is the pure and ultimate reality.
68 Kundakunda, Pancastika yasāra, 19. 69 Yogindu, Paramätina prakasa, I. 16. 70 Ibid., I. 60, Cp. Pravacanasära, II. 30. 71 Yogindu, Ibid., I. 64-68. 72 Kundakunda, Pravacanasära, I.21; 1.35; 1.36; 1.56. 73 Kondakunda, Samayasära, 2.