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rated in them This belief that matter possesses life is techni cally called Hyolozoism. It is a belief found in its crudest form with many primitive tribes all over the world. Nothing similar to this doctrine of Prithvi-kāya etc. is found in Brahmanical Philosophy, and we may presume that it was not with the Brähmins but with any other section of the nation.
I may further illustrate the peculiarity of Jain dootrine of Jiva by referring to the Nigoda. The Nigodas ere infinitesimally small globules in which are located numberless jivas who have all animal functions in common. These Nigodas are of course invisible. The whole universe, according to the Jains, is literally packed with these infinitesimally small globes. Hence the whole space of the world is densely filled with souls. I need not go into more details about this curious doctrine; the general idea of it will be sufficient to mark it as not Brāhmanical.
I go to another point where the Jains are in opposition to the Brāhmanas i. e. the idea of Being. The Upanishads teach that Being is permanent unalterable without attributes and one in all things. This is a metaphysical conception. The idea of Being does not admit of origin or destruction. This is the ollest Pbilosophy of the Brahmans. Their position has not been accepted by the later philosophers except the Vadantins but the Upanishad doctrine about Being as one has influenced in a marked degree all later philosophical speculations Whether Sänkbya and yoga or Vaiścsika and Nyāya and cven thc poculiar belief of the Buddhists, which denics permanent Being anni roplaces it by a continuous originating is but a protest against the Brāhmanical theory of permanent Being.
Now, the Jain theory about Being-Anekānta-vāda-denies the walterability of Being a statement of common experience. They say that Being is joined to Permanence, Origin and Destruction, There is nothing mctaphysical in it. This tenct admits, as a last truth, what we are taught by common experience.
It is obvious that this principle of Jain Philosophy has not
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| SR No. | 008001 |
| Book Title | Shraman Bhagvana Mahavira Part 1 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Ratnaprabhvijay, D P Thaker |
| Publisher | Parimal Publication |
| Publication Year | 1989 |
| Total Pages | 650 |
| Language | English, Sanskrit |
| Classification | Book_English, Biography, History, & Religion |
| File Size | 15 MB |