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 208

ARGUMENTS BASED ON..
195
merely on the ground of his possessing the same amount of knowledge about one particular thing like food 90 as possessed by scientists. The essential characterstics of omniscience are present, according to Buddhists only in Lord Buddha, because he, at the very outset, expounded the doctrine of no-soul'1 and also had direct preception free from all 'affliction' and 'obstacles'. 93 However, the Mimāṁsakas might argue that the same reason by which the omniscience of one person is proved, namely the love of Buddhists for their own view of things, can be used also by others.93 For example, the Jainas, like the Buddhists, may also prove the omniscience of Jina in the same way. The Jainas may argue that since the Jina alone knows the doctrine of Syādvāda, he alone is omniscient and not Buddha.
The Buddhists' reply although interesting is not very convincing. According to them, there is a fundamental difference between the Buddhists and the Jaina approaches. They claim that their doctrines are well-knit, practicable and useful and based upon well-established premises while all these things are absent in any other doctrine. 9 4 But this is no argum, nt. Even the Jainas and any other system of philosophy can also claim the said thing.
III. Arguments Based on Classical Pramanas So long omniscience was treated as a religious dogma, logical proof was not considered necessary, but we have seen that in course of time, the problem of omniscience became a bone of contention between the Mimāmsakas on the one hand
90 Ibid., 3349 (see also Panjika) 91 Ibid., 3340 (cf. 3341-3348). 92 Ibid., 3338-3339; cp. Ratnakirti, Sarvajña-siddhi, p. 5. 93 Ibid., 3151. 94 Ibid., 3352-3353. The Buddhists urge some other such psuedo-argu
ments also. They say that their objections against the Jaina theory of omniscience is not rooted in anger but in pity, which, they think, is not the case with others. But this is no argument.