Book Title: Faith Knowledge and Conduct
Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Champat Rai Jain

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Page 43
________________ 34 FAITH KNOWLEDGE AND CONDUCT 4SOUL AN INTELLIGENT SUBSTANCE The soul is not distinct or separate from its infinite, all-embracing, all-comprehending idea. If they were separate, knowledge would be dwelling in it as a man dwells in a house. But the soul has no vacuum inside it to admit of even knowledge dwelling there as a tenant. Besides, knowledge will, on such a supposition, become like an external object, instead of a state of its own consciousness, and will have to be known as other objects are known-through different stimuli. But knowledge does not emit sensory stimulus, being nonmaterial in nature. We have to recognize, then, that knowledge and soul are really two different words for the same thing : soul is knowledge, and knowledge is soul! The soul is, therefore, an intelligent substance by nature, All living beings are endowed with two kinds of consciousness: (1) perception, and (2) the understanding, appreciation or import of what is perceived, e.g., to perceive an orange as an object and to know it as an article of food. In the case of sounds (words) their import is also covered by the second kind of consciousness. But this kind of consciousness (the significancy of words) is enjoyed only by the higher forms of life. But there is Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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