Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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by the Buddha. All the three worlds are the result of discrimination or thought-relations. No external object exists in reality. All that is, is consciousness. 10
2. Idealism of Sankara
In the philosophy of Saskara the ultimate reality is Brahma or Self. He maintains that Self is the transcendental ground of experience. The self is not momentary, but permanent, not changing, but changeless, not finite, but infinite, not limited and conditional, but unlimited and unconditional. The existence of Self is self-proved (svayamsiddha) and cannot be denied. It is always conscious. Šamkara recognizes three grades of reality.11 The external object of our ordinary experience has only a vyavahārika-sattā (empirical reality), the objects appearing in dreams and illusions enjoy only a prātibhāsika-sattā (illusory appearance) and Brahma, i.e., the Absolute has the pāramārthika-sattā (ultimate reality). The vyāvahārika and pratibhāsika existences are real from a lower standpoint. The Ultimate Reality is the highest reality, which is devoid of all differences and contradictions. We cannot know Brahma but we can become Brahma: 'He, who knows Brahma, becomes Brahma'.12
3. Mādhyamika School of Buddhism
According to this school, reality is beyond the four categories of thought.13 Human intellect cannot grasp reality. What we grasp is the prapanca, and not the paramārtha. If we put this idea in the technical language of Buddhism, we can say that human knowledge is confined to the saṁvrtti-satya, i.e., to the phenomenal reality. It is unable to grasp the paramartha-satya i.e. the nominal reality. Buddhism preaches reality (dharma) considering two types of truth. The first type is the Phenomenal Truth, and the second is the Nominal Truth.14 The empirical world is the phenomenal reality, while the ultimate truth is the nominal reality. The ultimate truth is intuitional, peaceful, devoid of plurality and one. This is the nature of reality. 15
10 Lankävatāra Sutra, p. 186. "Vedānta-Siddhanta-Muktavali, p. 25. 12 Brahmavid brahma eva bhavati. Chandyogyopanisat. 13 Catuskotivinirmuktam tattvam madhyamika viduh. Madhyamika-Karika, XXIV.8 14 Madhyamika-Kärika, XXIV.8. 15lbid, XVIII.9.
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