Gommateshvara Commemoration Volume

Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Parshwanath Shodhpith Varanasi

Page 30

Jainism and Karnataka
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real whole. It is formulated as: i) Syād asti: it asserts the existence of a thing in a particular context. ii) Syäd năsti: it is the denial of existence in another context. iii) Syad asti nästi: refers to the simultaneous affirmation and denial in a different context. There is no logical contradiction in this. Detailed elaboration would be required to explain this point. It is beyond the scope of this paper. iv) Syād avaktavya : It posits the inexpressibility of the nature of the object or an event from a different point of view. For instance, the agnostic would affirm the unknowability and not merely inexpressibility of the nature of reality. By permutation of the 3.— affirmation, negation and inexpressibility--- we get the other formulations; v) Syād asti avaktavyaṁ (affirmation and inexpressibility) vi) Syad nästi ayaktayyaṁ (negation and inexpressibility) and vii) Syād asti nästi ayaktayyan (affirmation, negation and inexpressibility). These predications have to be understood in the context of drayya (substance), kşetra (place), kāla (time) and bhāva (nature).' Jainas say that different philosophical theories have been presented by different points of view. The Vedāntic formulation is from the sangraha naya (Synthetic point of view) and the Buddhists have approached the problem of reality from the momentary point of view (rujusūtra naya). Each approach to the understanding of the real has a place in the comprehensive picture of reality. The Anekānta gives the comprehensive picture of reality. It symbolises the fundamental nonviolent attitude of the Jainas.
In its metaphysical aspect, Jainism is a realistic philosophy. It posits the dychotomous categories of jīva and ajiya as equally real. The Jiva is a spiritual substance. It is pure and perfect. It is indestructible. Jiva is active. Due to its dynamic nature it comes into contact with ajiva, the nonliving substance. Due to the contact of the living and the nonliving there is activity, both physical and mental. It gives rise to the after-effects of activity, which is karma. The jivas in the wheel of samsāra are infected by the karmic matter. This is beginningless. And in the normal course of things it has no end. But it is possible for an individual self to be free from this bondage by means of moral and spiritual efforts. There is no place for divine grace. One has to reach ones perfection by self-effort. The process of perfection has been formulated by five more categories bandha (bondage due to the self coming in contact with the non-self). This bondage is due to the influx of karma into the self, which is called asraya. Freedom from bondage is possible by first stopping the influx of karma. This process is sam vara. Once the influx of karma is arrested, it is necessary to remove the accumulated karma. This is nirjarā. When all the karma is removed, the self attains the state of perfection. This is self-realisation in the real sense of the term. This is the state of moksa..
The Jaina contribution to the philosophy of life is to be found in its insistance that the path way to perfection is threefold: i) Samyag-darśana (right faith, right understanding), samyag-jnāna (right knowledge) and samyag-căritra