Studies in Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 001616
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1951
Total Pages: 366
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Knowledge, Yoga, & Epistemology
File Size: 9 MB

Page 100

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result of special merit and hence in their case it is called kṣayopaśamanimitta or gunanimitta. In fact, however, avadhi is, as a rule, kṣayopaśama-nimitta in all cases. It is necessary in the case of the denizens of heaven and hell because they have secured the destruction and subsidence of the veiling karman by the acquisition of requisite merits and only occasional in the case of other beings for the reason already given, and as such is classified into two separate categories.'
AVADHI
By avadhi-jñāna one can intuit only those things which have shape or form (rūpin). The intuitions differ in scope and durability with different persons on account of the difference of their merits. One endowed with the highest type of avadhi can intuit all the things having form. In point of space his intuition extends over a space that could be occupied by a countless number of space-units of the size of loka (the inhabited universe) and as regards time it penetrates countless number of cycles, both past and future. But as regards the modes, it cannot know all. It knows only an infinitesimal part of them though, of course, even this tiny part consists of an infinite number of modes.* The Jainas conceive infinity as having infinite gradation and as such there is no absurdity in this conception. The lowest type of avadhi can extend to a very small fraction of an angulas and know the infinite number of things having form (rūvi davvaim) that lie therein. In point of time it can penetrate only a small part of an avalikā (a small measure of time less than a second) and as regards modes it can know an infinite number of them.7
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In this connection it is essential to have some idea of the Jaina conception of the relative subtlety of time, space, matter and modes. The ultimate constituent of time is an infinitesimal indivisible unit called samaya 'time-point' or 'instant'. This time-point is beyond human comprehension and can be intuited only by the omniscient. In the same way space is also conceived as having pradeśas (spacepoints) as its ultimate indivisible units. But these space-points are subtler than the time-points. It is conceived that the number of spacepoints of a small space of one angula is equal to the number of time
1 Cf. ViBh, 574 TRă, I. 22. 3.
2 Cf. ANir, 45; NSü, 16; TSu, I. 28.
3 The NS uses both the terms jāņai and pasai in order to distinguish between avadhi-jñāna and avadhi-darśana. We shall, however, use both 'know' and 'intuit' without discrimination.. In fact, the distinction between avadhijñāna and avadhi-darśana is not very essential too in this context.
4 See ANir, 45 (ViBh, 685); NSũ, 16.
5 amgulassa asamkhijjai bhagam jäņai păsai. An amgula is a very small
measure.
An infinite number of atoms can exist in one point of space according to the Jainas. We shall make the point clear in the next paragraph.
7 See NSü, 16.