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 214

ARGUMENTS BASED ON..
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To get rid of these difficulties, the Jainas use "knowability', 'cognisability' ard the 'property of existence''11 as the reason (hetu) for proving the existence of omniscience. But the Mimāmsakas urge, as we have shown earlier, that this reason could be taken to prove omniscience either in general or in particular, or both. If it is taken in the first sense, it becomes absurd (ayuktah) since the matter is still under dispute; if it is in the second sense, the reason becomes inadmissible (asiddha), since the particular knowledge being limited, the extent of knowability also becomes restricted, If we choose the last alternative, the reason would become inconclusive (anaikāntika).'13 Even if the existence of omniscient person in general were established, it would not have any effect on the practical activity of man because this is a general assertion and there can be no influence of the words of such a person until he is really found to exist. 113 Similarly, omniscience proved in particular person is also very vague statement, which does not refer to a particular person but to 'someone'. 114
The Jaina and the Buddhist logicians have tried to show that inference cannot prove the non-existence of the omniscient being, since all the three reasons (hetu), namely, non-apprehen sion (anupalambha), contradictory (viruddha) and instructorship (vaktstva) are said to be faulty. 115 Taking one by one, the non-existence of omniscient being cannot be proved by the absence of one's own (sva-sambandhi) apprehension of the
1 śāntarakṣita, Ibid., 3235-37; cp. Prabhācandra, ibid., p. 249.
Samantabhadra (Apta-mimamsā, 105) uses anume yatva hetu, it was Akalanka who introduced Prame yatva hetu (Aşta-sati on Apta-mimāṁsā,.
105. 112 Prabhācandra, Ibid. p. 249. 113 Santaraksita, Ibid., 3230-31 (Pan jika). 114 Ibid., 3232. 115 Prabhācandra, Ibid., p. 263, Nyāya-kumudacandra, Vol, I. p. 91;
V. R. Suri, Ibid., Vol. VII, 570; Akalarka, Siddhi-viniscaya, VIII. 5; Anantavirya, Ibid., no. 92-94; Anantakirti, Brhat-sarva jña-siddhi,
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