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

Page 72

Reason and Faith in Jainism
According to Jainism knowledge is one of the attributes of soul. Jainism maintains that our knowledge of things and of their relations starts from experience and reason can at best serve to organize it. The Jain theory of knowledge admits two kinds of knowledge: mediate i.e. 'Paroksa' and immediate i.e. 'Aparoksa'. The mediate knowledge classified into Mati (ordinary - cognisitism) and Sruti (testimony) are Reason based while the immediatę knowledge classified into Avadi (direct Knowledge of things) Manahparyaya (direct Knowledge of thought of others) and Kevala (perfect knowledge) are intuition based. The Jain epistemology includes induction based on observation and deductive reasoning. What is most remarkable to note is that a Jain does not believe in the a-priori validity of the laws of thought. To him the laws are "the laws of reality and therefore can be discovered by experience only".
Reason and Faith, in our final conclusion, with reference to Jainism, are both significant and important. Both Jaina canonical literature and Jaina scholars held (i) that faith is a source of Sadhana, an effective activity towards wider knowledge and in particular a source of knowledge about Soul and Matter, (ii) that reason, is also a source of knowledge in two ways - (a) in an experimental, personal and direct way and (b) in a scientific, impersonal and arguments based upon self evident reasoning.
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Let us understand Jainism in a nut-shell. According to Jainism it is the human soul alone which can regain the highest degree of perfection. And that all souls are possessed of fullness and perfections. "The infinite is inherent in the finite. That is why the finite is ever struggling to break down its finiteness and reach out to the fullest freedom". Jainism, uniquely maintains that God is only the highest, noblest and fullest manifestation of the power which lie latent in each soul. What one requires is to put utmost self effort to defeat one's own enemies: passions and sense cravings, like, a true warrior. "Fight with yourself. Why fight with external foes? He who conquers himself, through himself will obtain