Aapta Mimansa

Author(s): Saratchandra Ghoshal
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 38

ĀPTA-MĪMĀMSĀ
(soul) owing to a particular excellence, destruction of faults and impediments happens (takes place).
COMMENTARY
36
In this verse, it is mentioned that though all Tirthankaras cannot be trustworthy as urged in the previous verse, it is quite possible that in some souls, a particular stage of development produces excellence which destroys the dosas (faults) and avaranas (obstructions). This is like the purifying of a piece of metal like gold which might have external impurities like mud etc. attached to it and internal impurities like alloy mixed with the same. By washing or scouring we can do away with the external impurities and by melting we can destroy the alloy bringing out the pure gold. In a soul also karmas internally obstruct right faith or right knowledge and externally produce faults like attachment, moha, ignorance etc. When these karmas are destroyed, the soul becomes pure and fit for omniscience.1
According to Jainism, "the union of soul with matter results in the generation of different kinds of forces, some of which are obstructive of the pure natural functions of spirit..... The soul is subject to the following eight kinds of forces: (1) Jñānāvaraṇīya (the knowldedge-obstructing), (2) Darśanavaraṇiya (the perception-obstructing), (3) Vedaniya (which regulates the experiences of pleasure and pain), (4) Mohaninya which is of two kinds (a) Darśana-mohaniya (which stands in the way of the adoption of the right faith) and (b) Charitra-mohaniya (which prevents one from following the right path in practice), (5) Ayuḥ (the force which determines the duration of the association of the soul with its physical body), (6) Nāma (the group of forces which organize the
1. “ एतदुक्तं भवति । कस्मिंश्चिदतिशायनाद्दोषावरणयोर्हानिरस्ति । यथा धातुपाषाणस्य अन्तर्मलक्षयः । स कश्चिद् भवत्येव गुरुरिति संबन्धः । एकत्र स्वहेतवः सम्यग्दर्शनादयः । अन्यत्र पिण्डीबन्धन प्रयोगादयः । तथा एकत्र बहिर्मलः शरीरेन्द्रियादिकम् । अन्तर्मलः कर्म। अन्यत्र बहिर्मलः किटुकादिकम् । अन्तर्मलः कालिमादि । ” Vasunandi.