Scientific Foundations Of Jainism

SR No.: 022772
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: K V Mardia
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt Ltd
Publication Year: 1990
Total Pages: 146
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

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THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS OF JAINISM
(iv) the transcendental state of absolute immobility.
The first two Pure Trances operate in the eighth, ninth and tenth stages, during which both the subsidiary passions and very subtle passions are progressively suppressed or eliminated (see § 7.4). Eventually the soul will gain sufficient energy to mount the ladder and so eliminate rather than suppress passion at each stage. Thus, the eleventh stage will be skipped and the soul will enter the twelfth stage. The purification of the soul is now at its highest which instantaneously moves to the thirteenth stage, of "Dynamic Omniscience State".
Just a few moments before death, the last two Pure Trances are employed in succession and this sets the irreversible process of reaching the fourteenth stage. As mentioned in § 7.5, this stage lasts for only an instant before physical death. Through the third Pure Trance, one completely stops the activities of the body, mind and speech except for the regulatory processes of breathing, heart-beat etc. Through the fourth Pure Trance, even the regulatory processes are stopped, and the soul attains moksa.
For further details on Jain-Yoga, we recommend Tatia (1986).
8.6 THE THREE JEWELS
Our axioms can be summarised into the following single verse of Umasvati,
"Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct constitute the path to moksa"
(Appendix 3B, q.8.2). Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct are called the Three Jewels of the Jain path and these are attained sequentially; the Right Faith is the first to be achieved this occurs at stage 4-then Right Conduct is achieved at stage 8 and Right Knowledge at stage 13. Figure 8.2 represents the traditional symbolic way of summarising these ideas, (used normally in worship). They are usually depicted with the swastika beneath it to indicate the four directions of the mental states/four states of existence which have been given in Figure 3.2. Of course, as described in § 7.2, "Right Faith (= True Insight) consists of belief in the soul, karmic matter and the other seven Reals, the Right Knowledge is their comprehension and Right Conduct is austerity" (Appendix 3B, q.8.3).
Right Knowledge also emphasises non-absolutism achieved through conditional predication, by thinking in relative terms through pluralism, scientific reasoning though the Jain syllogism, etc