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Jagdish Prasad Jain: Jaina Concept of Jiva and Modern Science
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neurophysiological processing of data in the brain, including past memory, by the so-called "interpreter”, the special device (cortex) in our left brain, and hence are naturally full of “telling errors of perception, memory and judgement".28 These are obviously lacking in coherence, balanced and detached view, discriminative insight and unity of conscious experience, which are the prerogatives of conscious entity.
According to Jainism, mind does not have an independent existence. The Jaina concept of mind, with a division into physical mind and psychic mind and having dual aspects of a vehicle or an instrument of conscious entity as also of unconscious brain possesses, is discussed in the present author's chapter “Jaina Psychology” in Handbook Indian Psychology.29
"The difference of opinion about the function of the life-principle as consciousness among various systems of philosophy is not so keen as their difference about the concept of the functionary behind... the conscious function or behavior of the living beings.” For instance, David Hume held that we are able to perceive only the functions of the self and matter, and do not perceive the substrata independently of their functions. The Jaina, being a realist, must locate and propound a real basis as the cause of these conscious functions. For him the functions cannot fly in empty air without a causal agency behind. This basic reality behind conscious functions has been named as ātman or jīva in Jainism.30
Before we proceed to discuss the Jaina concept of ātman or jiva, it is necessary to describe how these terms are translated in the English language. It may also be pointed out that there is no uniformity
28. M.S. Gazzaniga, The Mind's Past, cited in ibid., p. 68. 29. See n. 2. 30. S.C. Jain, n. 5, pp. 51-52.
| SR No. | 520275 |
| Book Title | Jain Journal 2009 07 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Satyaranjan Banerjee |
| Publisher | Jain Bhawan Publication |
| Publication Year | 2009 |
| Total Pages | 48 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India |
| File Size | 6 MB |