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THE ESSENCE OF JAINA SCRIPTURES
some words/sentences in Jain texts or commentaries of Amrtachandra or Jayasena, thereby corrupting Kundakunda's noble concepts, and propagating views which go against all Jain scriptures.
Concept of Svayambhu (Self-Sufficient) The concept of Svayamohu (PS 16) signifies that the self, possessed of conscious attentiveness, is capable of accomplishing virtually anything by itself (svayameva). This includes the destruction of karmas and even attaining the highest state of paramatman (supreme soul), independent of any other factor, i.e. without the help or assistance of any other object or substance (PS 192). That the self itself realizes itself by itself, through its own instrumentality and for itself is best described by Amrtachandra in the form of six components of action called six cases (karakas) (see PS 16 AC). 92 This concept is a sure prescription for self-reliance/self-restraint and self-discipline as described in Niyamsara. This finds expression in “appa so paramappa” (Paramatma Prakash 312) or “appa divvena jaladı” as Jains say. It is also reflected in the Gita, which speaks of atmanam atmaneva uddhareta, i.e. elevate yourself by your own self as well as the Buddhist teaching appa divo bhava, i.e. be your own light or guide.
Concept of Omniscience (sarvajnata) Pravachanasara 16 states that the self, when purified in psychicattention through the annihilation of four destructive karmans (ghatia karman) which results in the removal of obstacles, becomes omniscient (sarvajna) by itself and is called self-sufficient, or self-become (svayambhu), i.e. one who realizes his full potentiality by his own efforts. The reason why the soul is capable of knowing all the objects of the whole universe is explained in these words: “The soul is coextensive with knowledge, knowledge is said to be co-extensive with the knowable (i.e. the objects of knowledge); the knowable comprises the physical and non-physical universe, therefore, knowledge is omnipresent.” (PS 23)
Moreover, it is stated: “The great Jina is omnipresent (see PS 23), and all the objects (arthas) in the world are within his grasp or belongs to him. The Jina is embodiment of knowledge; and the objects which are said to be within his grasp belong to him because they are objectsof-his-knowledge (vishaya).” (PS 26). Moreover, “The holy Omniscient
