Book Title: Gandharavada
Author(s): Esther A Solomon
Publisher: Gujarat Vidyasabha

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Page 164
________________ 75 by them. That which remembers a thing cognised by another even when this latter has ceased to operate, is known to be different from it as Devadatta who remembers what was cognised through the five windows is different from them. This will be discussed later on when Mahavira solves Vayubhuti's difficulty (1559-1562). Thus even for Indrabhuti the soul is directly perceptible but partially. But Mahavira is free from all passions, etc.; his knowledge is wholly unobscured. This accounts for the fact that he can thoroughly realise the infinite modes (paryaya) of the self-own and alien, while Indrabhuti can know it but partially; as when there is light we see portions only of the jar and yet the whole jar is regarded as having been perceived from the practical point of view. Here too Indrabhuti will have to be satisfied with this partial knowledge of the soul till he has got rid of his passions, etc. which obscure his knowledge, and still admit that the soul can be known by perception. Mahāvīra has convinced Indrabhuti of his veracity by straightaway telling him what the doubt in his mind was. Hence he appeals to Indrabhuti to accept this statement of his regarding the soul as truthful on the basis of his former experience of Mahavira's trustworthiness (1563). Indrabhuti may admit that his own body has a soul, but how is he to know this of the bodies of others? Therefore, Mahavira anticipating this says that the soul of the nature of consciousness, in the body of another, can be known as existent through inference. The soul exists in another's body, because we see that it is actuated towards what is attractive or desirable and turns away from anything that is undesirable, as in our own case. Wherever this is observed, it is always in association with the soul, e.g. our own body; hence another's body too which is seen to behave in this way must have a soul. If the soul were not there, there would be no such behaviour; for instance, a jar is never seen to behave in this manner. This establishes the existence of the soul in another's body too (1564). Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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