Jain Journal 1993 04

SR No.: 520110
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1993
Total Pages: 67
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 4 MB

Page 56

Refutation of the Jaina View of Moksa
Criticised
Rabindra Kumar Panda
Jainism is an important ideological phenomenon in the religio-philosophical history of mankind. By nature it attempts a reapproachment between the warring systems by a breadth of vision which goes in the name of syädvāda or anekantavāda. “It shares the realism of the Vedas, the idealism of the Upani sads, the worship-cult of the Puranas, the colourfulness of the Epics, the logical analysis of the Naiyāyikas, the atomism of the Vaišeşikas, the metaphysical dualism of the Sankhyas, the mysticism of the Yogins and most surprisingly even the monistic trends of Advaita Vedanta." In spite of this, the Brahminical systems of Indian philosophical thought have considerably neglected the Jaina school and the philosophical tenets of the Jaina philosophers. While the Jaina authors have shown a desire to classify and codify other systems and shown the place of Jaina thought among them rather than to criticise or refute them, the Advaita Vedantins programatically set out to demonstrate the superiority of Advaita by way of refutation of their view points. The philosophers of the Vaidika schools have little good to say about Jainism. Sankaråcårya has set the example in his Brahma-sūtra-bhåsya. All Vedanta commentators have also criticised Jainism in a similar fashion in their commentaries in the naikasminnadhikarana of the Samayapāda in the second chapter of the Brahma-sūtra. In This paper I attempt to introduce Anandabodha, an outstanding Advaita palilospher of eleventh century A. D. who has wrongly presented the Jaina view of moksa in his Nyāyamakaranda for the sake of refutation and establishment of the Advaita View.
The Jaina View of Moksa
According to the Jaina school moksa is total deliverance of the Soul from all karmic veil-sarvävarana vimuktirmuktih. Moksa is the total and final freedom from all karmic matter, owing to the non-existence of
| Jain, H. L., "What Jainism Stands For", Jaina Antiquary, Vol. 11, No. 2. Cf.
Shastri, K. C., Jaina Dharma (2nd ed. Hindi, p. 63). ? Singh, Ram Jee, Jafna Moksa in the Perspective of Indian Philosophy", Jain
Journal, Jain Bhawan Publication, Vol, XXIV No. 3, 1990, p. 75.