Ethical Doctrines in Jainism

SR No.: 006955
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 322
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 8 MB

Page 261

VII. THE JAINA AND THE NON-JAINA INDIAN ETHICAL DOCTRINES 239
tired, they resort to sleep at night; but the mystic keeps awake day and night in the process of self-purification and self-realisation without being overwhelmed by indolence, inertia and looseness. In spite of all this happy concurrence, the fundamental difference that remains is that the mystic according to Jainism, though having full experience of the Ātman, does not experience it everywhere like the mystic of the Upanişad and the Gītā. Eighthly, the saint who has ascended the sublime heights is like an impenetrable rock. Anything dashing itself against it shatters itself. In a similar vein, he who persecutes such a holy personage causes ruin to himself.2 Samantabhadra says that desolation and perdition stare one in the face who caluminate such lofty spirits.3 Ninthly, the Mundakopanişad tells us that a man who wishes to be prosperous should adore the mystic who has realised the self.4 Jainism affirms that the pious name of the mystic serves as an aid for the accomplishment of auspicious and desired purposes. Tenthly, there exists nothing which is required to be achieved by that mystic who takes delight in the self and who is content and satisfied with the self. He does not need any of the things of the world for any interest of his. In view of Jainism the saint has done what ought to have been done by resorting to pure meditation.7
LIBERATION IN DIFFERENT SYSTEMS: We now turn to the ethical concepts of the systems like. Nyāya-Vaiseșika, Sāņkhya-Yoga, PūrvaMīmāmsā, Vedānta of Samkara and lastly early Buddhism. Though these systems except the early Pūrva-Mīmāmsā conceive liberation as the Summum Bonum of human life, they differ widely in expounding its nature. Some schools of thought describe it negatively as freedom from sorrows and sufferings, as an escape from the trammels of Saṁsāra, while the others describe it as a positive attainment of happiness or bliss. The champions of the former view are the Vaiseșikas, the early Naiyāyikas, the Sāṁkhya-Yoga and some among the later Mīmāṁsakas, and the early Buddhists. Of the latter view are the Jainas, the later Naiyāyikas, the Mīmāṁsakas, and the Advaita-Vedāntins. Not only these systems differ in the nature of deliverance, but also they show
3 Svayambhü. 69.
1 Svayambhū. 48. 2 Cha. Up. I. 2, 8. 4 Mu. Up. 3, 1, 10.5 Svayambhu. 7. 6B. G. III. 17, 18.; Sve. Up. II. 2. 14. 7 Svayambhi. 110.