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 188

III. 'ix]
AVIDYA IN THE JAINA SCHOOL
151
relation of samyag-darśana (right attitude towards truth), samyagjñāna (right knowledge), and samyak-caritra (right conduct).
We have now seen that, according to the Jaina thinkers, mithyadarśana (perverse attitude), mithya-jñāna (perverse knowledge), and mithya-caritra (perverse conduct or will) are the conditions of bondage, that is, worldly existence while samyag-darśana, samyag-jñāna, and samyak-cāritra constitute the pathway to emancipation. The soul possesses a number of capacities such as consciousness, vision, knowledge, intuition, energy, bliss and the like, which are obstructed by the different karmans, and the result is worldly existence. These capacities find expression in their mutilated and imperfect forms while the soul is in bondage. On the attainment of emancipation, the soul reveals these capacities in their natural form. When the capacity for right vision
arśana) is obstructed, there is mithya-darśana. When the capacity for right knowledge is mutilated there is mithyā-jñāna. When there is obstruction of the energy of the soul there is mithyā-cäritra. Bondage, in the ultimate analysis, consists in the obstructed and mutilated condition of the various capacities of the soul. That the soul has these capacities is a matter of common experience. On many an occasion we feel that there is something wrong in our attitude, that there is some flaw in our knowledge, that there is some check on our energy. On many an occasion, again, we become conscious of our capacity for right vision, our competency for infinite knowledge, our strength against the corruptions of the world. On the basis of these experiences, we can postulate different capacities of the soul. And this is what the Jaina thinkers did. The capacities of the soul are obstructed in various ways due to various causes. These capacities can be classified into three groups viz. right (samyak) attitude or predilection (darśana), right knowledge, and right conduct, their corresponding mutilated forms being perverted (mithyā) attitude, perverted knowledge, and perverted conduct. Accordingly, the Jaina thinkers did not accept the view that perverted knowledge (mithya-jñāna) alone is the cause of bondage. Perverted knowledge is only one of the three causes of bondage, the other two being perverted attitude (mithya-darśana), and perverted conduct (mithyā-căritra). We shall now record in brief the objections of the Jaina philosopher against the view that perverted knowledge alone is the cause of bondage.
Vidyānandi sums up the implication of the position of the upholders
vledge alone as the cause of emancipation as follows: The philosophers who hold that knowledge alone is the ole cause of emancipation must have to admit that the exhaustion, by enjoyment,