ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

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

Page 245

of becoming.4 It shows that the Absolute Idealism of Hegel is monistic spiritualism i.e. in the shape of one spiritual reality as the source and foundation of all external objects as well as individual thoughts. In other words the absolute Idealism of Hegel may be called objective Idealism.
6. Idealism of Bradley
Bradley finds that the external relations are meaningless to the conception of the unity of reality and the internal relations. Bradley thinks that the proper organ for grasping the absolute Reality is not intellect but the whole of mental life, which is constituted by intellect, feeling and will. He, therefore, describes his Absolute as identified with experience. Human experience is a piece of transcendental experience and can approximate it when it has learnt to transcend the limitations of intellect. The Absolute of Bradley therefore, is to be felt, experienced or realized and not to be known by our simple intellect.
B. Indian Idealism
After giving on introductory account of Western Idealism, now come to the Idealistic schools of India. Buddhism and Vedānta are the most important schools of Indian Idealism.
1. Yogācāra school of Buddhism
According to it, as is generally believed, only momentary ideas are real. The reality, which is grasped by the four categories of thought, is only Phenomenal. The highest reality is unchanging, calm and permanent. It is beyond the four categories of thought. It is beyond the duality of subject and object.? By mere analysis we cannot grasp reality. Thus, it is indescribable and devoid of any explanation. The external world is the creation, not of the individual consciousness, but of the absolute consciousness. All except consciousness is unreal. Consciousness alone is the established truth preached
* Principle of Philosophy, p. 107. $Lankavatāra-Sūtra, p. 188.
Catuskotivinirmukta Grāhya-grāhakavinirmukta. Lankavatāra Sūtra p. 116. Indian Philosophy-C.D. Sharma, p. 145.
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