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 265

. VII. JAINA AND THE NON-JAINA INDIAN ETHICAL DOCTRINES
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the practical distinctions of ordinary and Vedic life, pertaining to knowledge and its objects, prohibitions and injunctions, as also pertaining to Mokşa."1 We postpone the treatment of the Buddhistic conception of Avidyā to a later stage, while we shall deal with the four noble truths of Buddha. Here we may simply point out that Avidyā, according to Buddhism, consists in regarding suffering as happiness, a series of states of self as an abiding self, momentariness as permanence. In accordance with Jainism, the worldly existence is conditioned by Mithyādarśana, Mithyājñāna, and Mithyācāritra. These three are responsible for the perpetuation of the worldly career. Mithyādarśana is wrong attitude or belief, Mithyājñāna is wrong knowledge and Mithyācāritra is wrong conduct. It is not Mithyājñāna that is at the root of Sasmāra but Mithyadarśana, i.e., non-belief in the eternal principle of self as different from the body etc. Due to this non-belief knowledge and conduct become unauthentic i.e., in the absence of spiritual orientation, even profound knowledge and disciplined conduct are incapable of leading to superb heights. In the systems referred to, Avidyā is synonymous with perverted knowledge, hence the latter exclusively causes mundane existence. But this is unacceptable to the Jaina in view of his aforementioned threefold conditions of bondage.
ATTAINMENT OF LIBERATION: We now turn to deal with the process of attainment of Moksa, the veritable end of life. All the systems are one in assuming right knowledge as an authentic condition for the accomplishment of liberation, though the Pūrva-Mīmāṁsā adds the performance of certain Karmas (actions) to it. With the Nyāya-Vaiseșika the true knowledge of the sixteen Padārthas2 is indispensable for emancipation. This may be reduced to the recognition of the fact that by the employment of the means of knowledge of the self as distinguished from the non-self precedes the state devoid of pleasures and pain. In the Sāmkhya-Yoga it is the discrimination between the
1 Vedānta Explained. Vol. I. p. 4. 2 The sixteen Padārthas are:(1) Pramāņa (Pratyakşa, Anumāna, Upamāna, and Sabda), (2) Prameya (Atmā, Sarīra, Indriya, Artha, Buddhi, Manas, Pravștti, Doğa, Pretyābhāva, Phala Duḥkha, and Apavarga), (3) Sambaya, (4) Prayojana (5) Drstānta (6) Siddhanta (7) Avayava (8) Tarka (9) Nirnaya (10) Vāda (11) Jalpa (12) Vitandā (13) Hetvābhāsa (14) Chala (15) Jāti (16) Nigrahasthāna. See N. Sü. I. 1. 1.; N. Sü. I. 1. 3.; N. Sü. I. 1.9.