Book Title: Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 234
________________ Effects of Matter ground for making the possibility of remembrance, etc. When pūrvajñānarūpamana (previous knowledge-like mind) is not existent at the present time, then how can it perform the functions like examining good and evil, remembering, etc.? If the seed-like store-house of consciousness (alayavijñāna) is accepted as permanent, then the doctrine of momentariness stands refuted. If it is momentary, then it cannot also be the support of remembrance, etc. 1 Akalanka has followed the same procedure of his predecessor Ācārya Pūjyapāda for refuting the Vaiseșika view of mind. 2 In modern psychology mind has been conceived as physical and psychical, just as it is accepted in Jaina Philosophy, as the evolution-theory demands and mind-dust.3 William James makes the assumption that our mental states are composite in structure, made up of smaller states con-joined."4 "Theory of 'mind-stuff' is the theory that our mental states are compounds, expressed in its most redical form."5 "Each atom of the nebula...must have had an aboriginal atom of consciousness linked with it; and just as the material atoms have formed bodies and brains by massing themselves together, so the mental atoms, by an analogous process of aggregation, have fused into those larger consciousness which we know in our selves and suppose to exist in our fellow-animals." So according to this doctrine of atomistic hylozoism, “there must be an infinite number of degrees of consciousness, following the degrees of complication and aggregation of the primordial mind-dust."? This mind-dust can be compared well with 1. Vijñānamiti cet, na; that sāmarthyābhāvāt (32), RV., pp. 472-3. 2. RV., pp. 471-472. 3. The Principles of Psychology, pp. 145. ff. 4. Ibid., p. 145. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid., p. 147. 7. Ibid. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412