Gems of Jainism

SR No.: 001803
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hemant Shah
Publisher: Academy of Philosophy
Publication Year: 2008
Total Pages: 142
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Articles, & Religion
File Size: 8 MB

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'Science and religion' (1940) has expressed: "Science without religion is lame, Religion without science is blind." Jainism is Science with religion - neither lame nor blind. Jaina science encompasses every aspect of cosmos, including living and non-living entities. Thus Jaina way of life is a beautiful, harmonious combination of rational (scientific) approaches and moral (religious) attitudes. Jain philosophy in Indian philosophy, thus, is very rich and very proficient in so
Gems of Jainism
many ways.
Hear above we have seen some of the striking features of Jain philosophy. All of these are fairly well known to both, the Jainas as well as to the non-Jainas. Let me also quote somewhat less known but unique aspects of Jain Philosophy to which great scholars have drawn our attention:
(1) "One of the curious features of Jainism is the belief in Variable size of the jiva (soul) in its empirical condition. It is capable of expansion and contraction according to the dimensions of the physical body with which it is associated for-the time being. In this respect it resembles, a lamp, it is said, which though remaining the same illumines the whole of the space, enclosed in a small or big room, in which it happens to be placed. It means that like its other features, the jiva's nonspatial character also is affected by association with matter; The Jaina thus denies the unalterable nature ofthe jiva which is commonly recognised by Indian thinkers.
The jiva's relation to matter explains also the somewhat peculiar Jaina view of knowledge, Knowledge is not something that characterizes the jiva. It constitutes its very essence. The jiva can therefore know unaided everything directly and exactly as it is; only there should be no impediment in its way. External conditions, such as the organ of sight and the presence of light, are useful only indirectly and jnāna results automatically