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 200

196 :: Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism
covering of karmas remains pure like the purusa of the Sāṁkhya. The Jaina position must be held to be different from it. The karmas do not effect merely a covering on the soul under which it may exist in its pure state. For the Jaina, under the influence of karmas the soul must also underge inpure manifestations. The karmas and the soul together yield a joint product which constitutes the personality of the mundane soul. It is said that "by the karmas the total destruction of knowledge or conation is not effected, because, then there will be the non-existence of the soul itself because of the non-existence of the attributes invariably tied with the soul.”! Dr. Tatia also observes: “The remainder knowledge is variously covered by other sub-types of knowledge obscuring-karma, till a ray of light remains uncovered."? If kevala-jñāna or perfect knowledge is held to be an attribute of the soul, then the kevala-jñānāvarana karma, being totally destructive will destroy the attribute of perfect knowledge completely and the soul will become unconscious like matter. From this it follows that the above mentioned karma should not be taken to destroy an attribute of the soul totally. Really speaking perfect knowledge is no attribute of the soul, because it is not always found with the soul. It is only a mode of the knowledge-attribute of the soul, and the appearance of this mode is obstructed by the kevalajñānāvarana-karma. It only affects the directness and simultaneity and wholeness of the knowledge-attribute, and these are nothing but the traits of the knowledge attribute. Different types of karmas have a bearing on different traits of an attribute, none of them can destroy the attribute totally. The confusion in this conection is also based on the lax use of the term attribute of guna, as has been already pointed out. Upon this very fact depends the distinction between the destructive (ghāti) and the non-destructive (aghāti) types of karmas, it is with reference to a particular mode of an attribute like the state of perfect knowledge that some
1. Kasāyapāhuda, p. 61 2. N.M. Tatia: Studies in Jainism, p. 240