Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

Author(s): S R Bhatt, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 39

The concept of Paryaya : Its Ethico-Spiritual Significance 27 the operation of the karmas. The natural manifestations of the souls are determined by the nature of the soul itself. Such manifestations lead to Liberation of the soul. Soul experiences happiness and misery as a consequences of it's activity. From transcendental point of view soul has consciousness and it enjoys eternal bliss. Pancastikayasara describes soul as the agent of its own manifestations. 17 Consciousness manifests itself in various mental states. It would not be out of place to mention that the Jaina thinkers made a distinction between the states of the soul as Bahiratman Antaratman and Paramatman.18 "The first state is external self when it is identified with body or external belongings. The identification is due to ignorance. The same soul when is free from all senses of otherness is characterised by pure consciousness. It is turning inward of the soul. This is due to discriminative knowledge. This is the higher state of development the pure perfect self, free from all the impurities is realised in the third state, which is the supreme state of the soul. It is termed as Godhood. Jaina Philosophy of consciousness is unique. Pure and perfect souls are liberated and they live in eternal bliss without loosing their identity. By eradicating all passions souls can create new dispositions. The Jaina view of reality cannot be divorced from Jaina way of life, Man's existence has a goal, his struggle has a meaning one has to overcome passions and delusion. The quint essence of the Jaina Doctrine consists in achievement of self realisation which is manifestation of natural qualities of the soul. The soul is pure consciousness, knowledge the knower. Self realisation means soul realises itself as pure knowledge that it is by nature and is manifested as the knower of reality. In this connection it is pertinent to note that a soul meditating on itself attains its identity. Spiritually a soul should turn inward so that manifestation of pure self emerges. Modifications of the soul in the four states of existence are caused by the operation of the not - self. Contemplation can eliminate these modifications. The result is knowledge of the self par excellence. We may consider the concept of Paryaya against the background of the fundamental concept of the Jain faith namely anupreksha or stereological reflection that is, contemplations on transitory nature of things It is known as Anitya- Bhavana which is one of the important themes of contemplation. According to it, everything in the world is