Ethical Doctrines in Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Page 36

ETHICAL DOCTRINES IN JAINISM
of its comprehension and representation, as it has a close bearing on our ethical discussions. Thirdly, the classification of substances along with a brief account of each one of them will be dealt with; and lastly, there will be represented the divesse ways of expressing the nature of the ethical ideal.
GENERAL NATURE OF REALITY: According to Jainism, metaphysical reality, objectively considered, embraces within its fold contradictions, but only in an apparent fashion; they point just to the incompetence and inadequateness of human expression in language. It has been considered as existent and non-existent, one and many, permanent and changing* etc. It is this aspect of Jaina philosophy which confounds those philosophers who are habituated to think in an abstract way and apart from experience. Owing to the predilections fostered by a priori logic, they represent the Jaina view of reality as incongruent, and so end either in the formulation of the absolutist doctrine of universal eternalism or universal nihilism. Jainism takes leave of such an inveterate habit of mind and adheres to the testimony of experience for solving metaphysical problems. Thus the Jaina differs from all absolutists in their approach to the unfoldment of the inner nature of reality. Jainism weaves the fabric and structure of reality on the authority of indubitable experience and is not swayed in the least by the fascinations of a priori logic. Owing to this deep-rooted abhorrence of the abstract way of philosophising, the Jaina evaluates what is given in experience, and consequently advocates change to be as much ontologically real as permanence. Both are separable but only in logical thought. Being implies becoming and vice versa. Inconsistent as it may appear at the inception, there is no doubt that experience enforces it and logic confirms it. This conception of reality reminds us of the Greek philosopher Parmenides who regarded 'Being as the sole reality wholly excludent of all becoming, as also of Heraclitus, for whom, permanence being an illusion, 'Becoming' or perpetual change constitutes the very life of the universe. It also makes us reminiscent of the Buddhistic philosophy of universal flux and of the unchanging, static, permanent absolute of Vedānta. But all these point to the one sided evaluation of experience. It may be said that “if the Upanisadic thinkers found the immutable reality behind the world of phenomena and plurality, 1 Yuktyanusasana, 49.
2 Aptamimamsd, 15. 3 Ibid., 34.
Ibid., 56.