Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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________________
SCHOOL
OF
HAN STUDIES
SELF STUDY IS THE SUPREME AUSTERITY
स्वाध्याय परम तप conventional (vyavahāra) point of view and from the realistic (Niscaya) point of view he knows and sees his soul only? Here one should not get confused with the earlier statement but he should know that all the prepositions are based on the principal -prepositions depending on the self and congruous to the self are real, while those depending on non-self and not congruous to the self are conventional. This is made clear in the 'Sanskrit commentary' on the above verse.
In short, whatever depends on others is conventional. As such omniscient knows, sees his own soul is real assertion while that he knows and sees other is conventional assertion. This is the sum and substance of the above statement. But, that "He knows and sees non-self entities from conventional aspect" does not mean that He does not know them actually.
Further in the above context a question has been raised and answered well in ParamātmāPrakāśa chapter 1 verse No. 52 commentary as under:
Question: If the omniscient knows non-self substances from the conventional aspect only, then his omniscience should also be deemed to be so from conventional aspect, not real one?
Answer: It has been called conventional, because just as omniscient knows the self-soul as part and parcel of his own being, He does not know non-self substances similar and identical to that of the self, but not that He lacks the knowledge of non-self substances. If He knew the non-self substances with the same oneness affinity as with his own self, he would have been happy - unhappy by knowing the pleasures and miseries of others and would have himself become attached or aversions which, in fact would have been a great fault.
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
"One who knows the omniscient Lord in respect of his substance, attributes and modifications knows his own soul also and his delusion disappears." The remedy of conquering delusion has been shown in this verse; i.e., one who knows his own soul (true nature of soul), his delusion is eliminated. Thus, the understanding about the characteristics of Arihantas has been made compulsory for the annihilation of perverted belief.
The substance and the attributes of our own soul and those of the Arihantas are exactly similar, difference lies only in the present modification over modification is completely developed and the same is our ideal and aim. This is the reason that along with the
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