________________
અધ્યાત્મતત્ત્વાકા Adhyatma Tattva is the highest Science. It is the Science of the Self. It comprises the knowledge of the Self in its relation with the Universe. The Self in its sublime purity is the ultimate noumenon, infinite Consciousness and absolute Bliss. Spiritual knowledge or the study of Self has thus three-fold aspect, and it is Adhyatma alone that leads to its realization. Adhyatma literally means · Pertaining to Atman.' It therefore means knowledge of the Soul and the relation in which it stands to other Dravyas. The problem is not so simple as it outwordly appears. What is Atman ? How and why is Atman subjected to misery and happiness etc ? What is Karma ? What is its operation on Atman ? Those and alike questions form the subject-matter of Adhyatma. The science is very wide indeed; but, for a brief exposition it may be summarised as under.
Release from the worldy bondage is the ideal aimed at by Jainism. It consists in the attainment of Right Belief, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct, called the three Jewels by the Jain philosophers. Those who do not believe in Moksha will not attain them. Hence it is that so great an emphasis is laid on the firmness of belief which successively leads to right knowledge and right conduct. Spiritual knowledge is beyond the power of physical senses, hence a firm unshakable belief in the words of the Teacher is the condition precedent to the attainment of right knowledge. Now Moksha consists in the shaking off, by Soul, of the fetters of Karma which envelop him in
