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THE ENLIGHTENED VISION OF THE SELF
in its system when it describes reality as ever changing while retaining its sub-stratum or permanence which forms the foundation, the basis or the core of change or flux. The Self, according to Jainism, is thus a reality which maintains its stability through a continuous process of change.
The Jaina view of Reality is intimately connected to the Jaina way of life. A substance does develop derivative characters (ribharas). However, amidst derivative characters of a substance we do not miss the innate nature of its existence, which is its swabhara or scanpa. Tadbhavaryuyam niyant", i.e. a drazza never leaves or gives up its srabhara (nature) and gets transformed into something else. Thus, while some of the destructive (ebatia) karmas can create hindrance to the power of knowledge and intuition, cause limitation and distortion of the factulties and capacities of the soul, and may even be completely obscuring (sarunghatin), they are not able to destroy the basic capacity or essential characteristics of the Self completely or totally. Hence the conscious being cannot be reduced to an unconscious entity. The analogy of the sun and cloud is useful here. As there is always some light, though the sun is covered with the dense veil of clouds so the Self retains some fragment of its intrinsic purity and enlightened knowledge, though it is covered with the dirt of karma.22
The intrinsic nature of substance or jira is its dharma (dhammo ratthu saharo, i.e. sublara); it is permanently fixed and is an inalienable part of drarja. Any ribhain paryaya is deviation, distortion, limitation, or modification of the innate nature (szabhara) of the Self and as such it is adventitious, transitory or impermanent. Such deviation can be understood as jira not being established in its nature and signifies distortion of its gumas (qualities), viz. darshan (indeterminate intuition or närakara upayoga) and jnana (determinate knowledge or sakara upayoga). Upayoga may be said to be attentiveness, manifestation, function or operation of consciousness or consciousness in action.
The passions, attachments, aversions, etc. are modifications, distortions, or impurities of scabbar. This signifies that the innate nature and qualities of the conscious Self, or the spiritual magnificence and glory of the essentially self-luminous reality, i.e. the soul, is not actualised or present in the person having impure dispositions. In other words, the Self is not established in its own intrinsic nature, i.e.
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