Jaina View of Life

SR No.: 001622
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 260
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Discourse
File Size: 14 MB

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Jaina View of Life him who has experienced them; and their universality proves that they are facts of experience. The glimpses of the vision. as recorded by Yögindu, are of the nature of light or of white brilliance. Elsewhere too we find similar experiences. It may be noted in conclusion that the excessive rigidity of the code of morality prescribed for a Jaina saint gives no scope for Jaina mysticism to stoop to low levels of degraded Tantricism,28 It is for this very reason that we do not find the sexual imagery, so patent in western mysticism, emphasised in Jainism, though similies like muktikāntā are used by authors like Padmaprabha. Sex-impulse is considered by Jaina moralists as the most dangerous impediment on the path of spiritual realization. So sensual consciousness has no place whatsoever in Jaina mysticism. The routine of life prescribed for a Jaina monk does not allow him to profess and practise miracles and magical feats for the benefit of house holders with whom he is asked to keep very little company. The way to salvation has been three-fold : 1) the way of knowledge (samyagjnana), the way of intuition and devotion (samyagdarsana) and the way of action (samyag carita). It would not be proper to say that Jainism is predominantly intellectualistic (jñāna pradhanya). The very fact the Jainas have given prominence to right intuition and faith (samyag darśana) as one of the three ways to salvation shows that they have given proper orientation to the psychological function of intuitive experience.29
Intuitive experience is likely to experess itself in devotional literature. In the Jaina literature we have abundant devotional literature. Yogindu's Paramātmaprakāsa is a grand poetic treatise in Jaina mysticism. We may mention Samavasära and Pravacanasāra of Kunda-kundācārya as examples of literature with the emphasais on intuition and devotion to the Tirthankaras who have conquered passions (vitaraga Jinendra)Ācārya Pūjya
28. R. D. Ranade : Mysticism in Maharashtra as quoted by A. N.
Upadhye. 29. ibid. p. 41.