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 192

III. X] CRITICISM OF THE SAMKHYA-YOGA AVIDYA
155
(viparyaya), in this view, means what is possessed of the potency of producing perverted predilection (mithyabhiniveśa), attachment (rāga) etc., and is the condition of worldly existence. This, when analysed, turns out to be the threefold condition of the nature of wrong attitude (mithya-darśana), wrong cognition (mithyā-jñāna) and wrong conduct (mithya-caritra); because the potency of perverted predilection is nothing but the wrong attitude, the perverted cognition itself-being an untrue cognition--is wrong cognition, and the potency for producing attachment (rāga) etc. is wrong conduct. It is thus maintained by the Jainas that all these three-wrong attitude, wrong cognition and wrong conduct should be regarded as the condition of worldly existence. And the condition of worldly existence being threefold, the condition of emancipation also should be regarded as threefold. Vidyanandi says that the threefold conditions of the worldly existence, such as wrong attitude (mithya-darśana), and the like, require threefold antidotes such as right attitude (samyag-darśana) and the like for their cessation. Or, in other words, the unitary condition of worldly existence, having threefold potencies, requires for its annihilation another unitary condition consisting of threefold counter-potencies.3
We have now stated the Jaina conception of the threefold cause of bondage and its threefold antidote. We also recorded the objections of the Jaina against those who maintain a unitary principle as the cause of bondage. Now let us see how far the metaphysical position of those who regard nescience (ajñāna) alone as the cause of bondage is consistent with their conception of nescience. Let us begin with the Sankhya-Yoga.
X
CRITICISM OF THE SAMKHYA-YOGA CONCEPTION OF AVIDYA
In the Sankhya-Yoga school the relation between the world. process and the puruşa is not a very concrete one. The world process somehow belongs to the puruşa who enjoys it though keeping quite
1 ya eva viparyayo mithyabhiniveśa-rägädyutpadana-saktiḥ sa eva bhavahetur na nya iti vadatām prasiddho mithya-darśana-jñāna-caritrātmako bhavahetuḥ, mithya-'bhiniveśaśakter eva mithya-darśanatvät, mithyärtha-grahanasya svayam viparyayasya mithya-jñānatvāt, rāgādi-pradurbhavana-samarthyasya mithyacäritratvät-Ibid.
2 Cf. tadvipakṣasya nirvāṇa-kāraṇasya trayātmatā-TSIV, p. 74. 3mithya-darśanādīnāṁ bhavahetūnāṁ trayāṇāṁ pramāṇataḥ sthitānāṁ nivṛttiḥ pratipakṣabhūtāni samyag-darśanādīni triny apekṣate, anyatamā pāye tadanupapatteḥ; śakti-trayatmakasya vā bhavahetor ekasya vinivartanam pratipakṣabhūta-śaktitrayātmakam ekam antareņa no 'papadyata iti yuktā Sūtrakārasya trayätmaka-mokṣa-margopadeśana-TSIV, p. 74.