Illuminator of Jaina Tenets

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 64

द्वितीयः प्रकाशः LUSTRE TWO
f. Fita-zonta-gon-979-37/ana-sia -fariTi-aper-HTETTEARTH I
तत्त्वं पारमार्थिकं वस्तु । 1. jīva-ajīva-punya-pāpa-āsrava-samvara-nirjarā-bandha-mokşās tattvam, tattvam pārmārthikaṁ vastu.
(Aph.) Soul, non-soul, merit, demerit, cause of influx (of karman), stoppage of cause of influx (of karman), dissociation (of karman), bondage (of karman) and emancipation are the tattvas. (1)
(Gloss) "Tattva' means a real entity.
(Note) Strictly speaking, jiva and ajīva (soul and non-soul, the sentient and the non-sentient) are the two ultimate principles. The rest are consequential events which occur on the cooperation of these two principles. Thus merit and demerit lead to the soul's loss of freedom. The fifth is a condition of the soul, brought about by the action and reaction of the soul and non-soul on each other. The sixth is a negative condition of the soul achieved by partial or total obstruction of the accession of alien karmic matter into the soul. The seventh is the purification of the soul on the expulsion of karmic matter from the soul and thus the soul is partially purged of the contamination induced by the accession of foreign matter. The eighth again is induced by the closest possible association of the soul and karmic matter. The ninth is the condition of absolute freedom achieved by the gain of intrinsic purity resulting from the expulsion of all karmic matter and its consequences. The third, fourth, fifth and eighth principles are the conditions of samsāra, the transmigration of the soul from the condition of one painful existence to another. The sixth and the seventh are the essential conditions of emancipation. The last is the most important of all, which is the ultimate goal. There is every justification, therefore, for the inclusion of all these principles of ultimate categories. The pursuit of philosophy cannot be a barren procedure. Its purpose is to know the truth because the knowledge of the ultimate truth is conducive to the achievement of perfection. This perfection is constituted by absolute freedom gained by the dissolution of all limitations and bonds which are the impositions of foreign matter.
Though sub specie aeternitatis, the categories other than the first two are not ultimate qua eternal, they are coeval with the duration of the world process and hence sub specie temporis they are of a status coordinate with the first two.
P. JAUHTETT ota: 1 -2. upayogalakṣaṇo jīvaḥ.
(Aph.) The defining characteristic of a soul is consciousness (cognitive activity). (II)