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one an idea of Nirvana, as it was understood in the early Buddhistic period, and as it is understood at present by some of the most eminent European Oriental scholars. We, for one, are of opinion, that in both Buddhism and Jainism, Nirvana, does not imply the annihilation or destruction but it signifies a state of eternal beatitude. We may add here that though Jainism and Buddhism differ as to the means by which Nirvana could be attained, in both the term signifies almost the same thing; their Nirvana resembling most the Nirvana of the Sankhya philosophy of Kapila. We may further observe, that there is no doubt whatesover that the Nirvana of Jainism does not mean annihilation. In Jain doctrines there is nothing contradictory to the eternal existence of ego in Nirvana. According to them "all beings are divided into two classes, animate and inanimate. All animate bodies are composed of a soul and a body, and their souls being radically distinct from matter
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
