Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism

SR No.: 001617
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S C Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 272
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Epistemology, Nyay, & Spiritual
File Size: 16 MB

Page 137

The Soul and Consciousness :: 133
directness and indirectness being dependent ultimately upon the fact that they are able to generate the experience exclusively with the soul and without the help of the intervening senses. Different categories of karmas are enumerated to obscure the faculties of avadhi and manaḥparyaya; and hence avadhi and manaḥparyaya must be admitted to be mutually distinct. Degrees of manifestation are contained in avadhi as well as in manahparyaya but for that reason no new class is formulated. There is some difference between the two types of cognition yielded by avadhi and manaḥparyaya. Being deterimined by the destruction-subsidence of some karmic forces, they cannot be said to be perfectly direct in spite of the fact that they do not make use of the senses at all; but, on account of the vividness they carry with them they are classed with the direct types of knowledge.
Kevalajñāna or the Perfect Knowledge
Now we come to the last named type of knowledge, i.e., the Kevalajñāna. As Jainism holds the manifestation of the soul with respect to the knowledge attribute takes subtler and subtler forms with the weakening of the obstructing karmas, so a stage can be conceived where the knowledgeattribute manifests in full effulgence. Samantabhadra remarks: ‘Faults and obscurations are totally destroyed in some soul because of degrees in their destruction like the destruction of the internal and external dirt on account of the proper causes. The subtle future, past and distant things like the fire, etc., which can be known must be directly comprehensible by some one. This establishes the possibility of omniscience.' Vidyānanda writes: 'Knowledge attains its highest limit in some soul because of its manifestation in degrees like the magnitude in space'? The same anthor establishes the possibility of the total
1. Samantabhadra: Aptamimāṁsā, verses 4 and 5 2. Vidyānandin: Tattvārthaslokavārtika, 1. 29. 28