ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 267

याय परम
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The existence of soul or consciousness as an independent entity. The soul or conscious entity is pure but is covered by a curtain of ignorance or kleśas or karmas. The origin of such ignorance is unknowable, still there is a possibility of removing it by human efforts and lastly, Self-stabilization of the soul or consciousness after getting rid of ignorance.
Although the four basic principles are the same, they are termed and named differently in each system. The following table summarizes the above four principles.3
Details
Jain
Buddhist
Sāṁkhya
Nyāya Vaišeşika
Pure
Subject
Independent existence of consciousness named Jiva or Atma
Independent consciousness named Citta
consciousness named Purusa
Consciousness named Atman or Jiva.
Cause of Bondage
Veiled by perverse attitude, delusion and karmas
Ignorance named samudaya and trsnā i.e. desire
Avidhyā or ignorance
False knowledge, veil of Māyā
Path of liberation
Right Faith, Knowledge & Conduct
Eight-fold path śīla, samadhi, prajñā sa svara, nirjară ,
Discrimination and eight fold Yoga mārga
Right Knowledge and Yoga mārga
State of Liberation
Moksa
Nirvāna, Kaivalya
Videha Mukti
Mukti or Nihśreyas
The above table enumerates the reflections of the ancient saints and seers, who experienced reality but expressed it in different terminology. They did sādhana and through Tapa i.e. austerity purified their souls just as gold was purified when subject to fire. Thus we see that the term 'tapa' was more in vogue than Yoga. The śramana is indicative of śrama i.e. effort śama i.e. subduing of passions or sama i.e. balance of mind. The śramanas as
3 Haribhadra's Yoga works and Psychosynthesis, Pg. 12
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0