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 of their propensities and movements are remarkably similar to the vital functionings, instincts and movements of the higher animals. Accordingly, a considerable number of students of animal psychology have no hesitation in attributing Soul and consciousness to the sub-human animals without exception.
CONSCIOUSNESS ATTRIBUTABLE TO VEGETABLES
But what about the vegetable kingdom,—which also, the Jaina's say, have Souls ? According to Linne, it is only the animals which have sensation and consciousness and the plants are devoid of them. The Buddhist logicians were fond of exposing the fallacy in arguments which were put forward in support of the theory of existence of life and consciousness in plants. The author of the Nyāya-Vindu, for instance, in illustrating the fallacy in which the Hetu or Reason is Asiddha or unproved says:-चेतनास्तरष इति साध्ये सर्वत्वगपहरण मरणं प्रतिवाद्यसिद्धं विज्ञानेन्द्रियायुनिरोधलक्षणस्य मरणस्यानेनाभ्युपगमात्तस्य च तरुष्वसंभवात् ।
When the Sâdhya or the Proven is, Trees are conscious,—if the reason is asserted to be, Because it dies, when it is stripped of all its barks.--the Reason would be un proved so far as the Prativādi or the Opponent is concerned. Because according to the Opponent, Death consists in the cessation of all sensations, of all functions of the sense-organs and of all the vital activities and such a Death is impossible in Trees.
BUDDHIST CONTENTION THAT TREES ARE UNCONSCIOUS
Dharmottara, commenting on the above, observes:--The Digambara's (i.e. the Jaina's) put forward the Hetu. The tree dies when it is stripped of all its barks in order to prove the proposition, Trees are conscious. Now the Hetu or Reason is Asiddha, so far as the opponent, the Buddhist is concerned. Why is it unproved with the Buddhist? The Buddhist define Death, if it is to serve as the competent Hetu in this case, as the cessation of sensations, of the acti