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 145

132
THE PASSAGE FROM NESCIENCÈ..
The famous yoga classification of karma123 into white (sukla), black (krsna), both white and black (śuklakışņa), and neither white nor black (asuklākrsna) corresponds to the Jaina classification into auspicious (śubhu) and inauspicious (aśubha) karmas. 124 Similarly, gati-karmas of the Jainas are comparable to the tripple classification (jāti), age (āyu) and enjoyment (bhoga) according to yoga school.125 The Buddhist126 also bring their classification of consciousness into good, bad and indescribable (sobhana, akušala and avyākata) on its three levels, nimely weak, higher and super-human (paritta-bhāmi, mahaggalabhūmi, and (lokuttara-bhūmi), The four phases of life - misery, desire, form and the formless (apāya, kāmagupti, rūpāvacāra and arūpāvacāra-bhūmis) also point to the causal-nexus between the karma and the results. However, the main difference between the Buddhistc and Jaina position is that while the former believes only in a five-fold psycho-physical integration (pañca-skandha), the Jainas accept permanent soul. Hence there is a wide difference between their conception of liberation if not in so much that of bondage.
Bondage exists only till karmic-flow continues. The process that leads to karma-bandhana, though beginningless, is not in principle endless, because the self is not essentially related to the karman, Vibrations (yoga) bring karmic-particles to soul and the passions (kaşāyas) keep them attached to the soul. The elimination of kasāyas through spiritual practices will terminate vibrations and therefore the karmicparticles will find no foot-hold or sustenance. This is known
123 Patanjali, Yoga-sūtra, IV. 7. (Also see Vyāsa-bhāşya). 124 Kundakunda, Pañcāstikaya-Sāra, 143-147; Nemicandra, Gommatasara,
(karma-kānda) 143-147. 125 Vyasa, Yoga-sutra (Vyasa-bhữ;ya), II. 13. 126 I have utilised Studies in Jaina Philosophy by N. M. Tatiā, ch. IV.
and The Abhidhamma Philosophy by Bh. J. Kasyap, regarding the the Buddhist position.