Jaina Epistemology

SR No.: 006738
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1990
Total Pages: 516
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 138

The General Conception of Knowledge
113
as the object of introspection.
Ku nārila maintains that the soul is something distinct from the body, the sense organs and buddhi. It is eternal, imperishable and is the real doer of action; agent of acts, as well as the experiencer of their results and reactions. It is also all-pervading It is of the nature of pure consciousness, and not qualified by the limitations of time and space. It is the soul that passes through the experiences of pleasure, pain etc. and yet, it never renounces its own character of consciousness; it forms the constant factor in all those variable and varying experiences. The self experiences the reactions of its acts. If the self consists of consciousness, not in its eternal form: but in the form of feelings and cognitions; then it would not be possible to account for the different activities of the man, or even the phenomenon of rebirth. It is, therefore, necessary to regard the soul as being of the niture of consciousness.
The Nyāyavaiseșika systems did not admit any action in the self-neither change of place (spanda), nor change of form (parināma). Kumārila though denies the former, admits the latter.3 That is, he recognizes the possibility of model changes in the self. In spite of these modifications it is regarded as eternal for Kumārila rejects the view that even internal change militates against permanence.4 Experience acquaints us with many thing changing almost constantly; yet, maintaining their identity.
The Jaina system goes one step futher and accepts the change of place also. The fundanental difference between the Jaina and Kumārila regarding the self consist in the size only. The difference regarding the change of place is its natural issue. The change of place is not possible in an all pervading object.
1. Prakarana pañcikā 151 2. S. V. Ātmavāda 75. 1. SV. Ātmavāda 74 2. SV. Pratyakşavāda 53.