Study of Jainism

SR No.: 001748
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
Publication Year: 1988
Total Pages: 252
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Philosophy
File Size: 13 MB

Page 157

142
Study of Jainism
Therefore
and the points of time are always in the linear motion. there is no kayatva for time.
The universe is constituted of the two fundamental substances of jiva and ajiva. Jiva is active and has the characteristic of upayoga (hormic energy). It comes in contact with the ajiva, there is activity. This activity is both psychic (kaşaya) and physical (yoga). The psychic activity translates itself into emotional states like attachment and hatred, anger and greed. The physical activity is the bodily activity. Both influence each other and these activities have after effects which are expressed in the encrustation of the karmic particles. And this activity in the world brings the jiva in contact with the karmic particles. And the karmic particles get encrusted with the soul, thereby bringing the soul to come in contact with the external world; and the consequence is, there is bondage. In this sense Jainism is dualistic. There is a dichotomous division of the categories into the living and the non-living.
Jainism considers the soul from two points of view. (1) Noumenal (niscaya) and (2) phenomenal (vyavahara). Kundakundacdrya points out that the practical point of view is as much necessary to understand the concepts of the self as the real point of view, just as a Non-aryan is never capable of understanding without the non-aryan tongue.
The existence of the soul is a pre-supposition in Jaina philosophy. No proofs are necessary. And Mahavira said, “O Gautama, the soul is pratyakşa, for that in which your knowledge consists is itself soul". It is pratyakṣa owing to the “ahań pratyakşa', the realisation of the self. The existence of the soul can be inferred. And Mahavira said the soul exists because, “it is my word, O Gautama”.? The soul is different from the senses and the body. The sense organs are like the windows through which the soul sees, just as Devadatta perceives the external world through the windows From the noumenal point of view the soul is pure and perfect. It is pure cousciousness. It is no other than itself. Kundakundacarya says that from the noumenal point of view the soul and the body are not one. The soul is pure and perfect. It is simple and not composite.