Reals on the Jaina Metaphysics

SR No.: 001619
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: Shatnidas Khetsy Charitable Trust Mumbai
Publication Year: 1966
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Religion, & Epistemology
File Size: 8 MB

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Reals in the Jaina Metaphysics phenomena, the Antara-Sāmudaya or the Adhyātma Samghāta and distinguish them from the Bāhya-Sāmudaya or purely material phenomena. The Mādhyamika school of Buddhists, of course, deny the reality of both these series, the conscious and the material and the subjective idealists of the Buddhist Yogācāra school look upon the material series as subjective objectification of the purely subjective experience. We are not concerned here with the contentions of these two schools but are interested in the Buddhist theory of the conscious experience. In Sankara's words, the un. broken series of a life's experience, admitted ( 34TETT ) by all the Buddhist schools is-'अविद्या संस्कारो विज्ञानं नामरूपं एडायतन स्पर्शोवेदना तुष्णोपादानं भवो जातिर्जरामरणं शोकःपरिदेवनादुःखं दुर्मनस्तेत्येवंजातीयका इतरेतर-हेतुकाः।' Avidyā is false apprehension, consisting in sensing unity in a real plurality, wholeness in separate things, eternality in the non-eternal, joy in real sorrow, existence in non-existence, relations where there is none and so on. This Avidyā leads to Samskāra which consists in feelings of attachments, aversion and stupefaction. Saṁskāra in its turn produces Vijñāna i.e. the primary or the most rudimentary consciousness (otherwise called, Ālaya-vijñāna) about objects. This fundamental cognitive tendency towards outside objects gives rise to Nāma which means fundamental matter. From Nāma or primary matter, is generated Rūpa i..e. the body in its primary stage. This foetal body develops into Saņāyatana or the full-fledged body with the five senseorgans. Sparsa consists in the relation mutually entered into by the body and the senses. Vedanā i.e. the felling of joy and sorrow results from Sparśa and in its turn gives rise to Trsņā or a thirst for enjoying objects. Trıņā generates Upādāna or active efforts for the appropriation of the objects. Upādāna produces Bhāva i.e. causes of birth which are Dharma and Adharma. This Bhāva or cause of birth determines Jāti or the nature of the embodied state, peculiar to each being. Body, in time, deteriorates into Jarā or old age which leads to Maraṇa or death, to Soka or mental pain