Jain Journal 1969 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 58

OCTOBER, 1969
supreme soul (paramātman),43 which is potential in him. That supreme soul is realizable only through the efforts of the whole organism. The samvara is, therefore, a way of putting personality on the path of evolution after removing it from that of mere change and growth. And salvation is its highest goal. In the state of samvara, the re-orientation of the whole personality is taken up, and evolution becomes the central theme of the whole affair. Evolution in Jaina philosophy is not a process automaton, but a principle conditioned by the voluntary discipline. Here the Jaina differs from all the evolutionists, who maintain that the life-process as such is a form of evolution. Sri Aurobindo is the latest champion of the spiritual evolution professing the same in the form of 'integral yoga'. The total transformation of life according to it takes place by ascension of the personality from below integrated with the descension of the Super-Mind from above.44 Thus through the process of integral yoga, life evolves step by step. And this evolution comes to be automatic and the fundamental law of life. Sri Aurobindo, in this way, eliminates the possibility of sheer change in the universe.
But the Jaina maintains that the law of change is fundamental. Thence he bifurcates it into the restricted and the unrestricted. His view of the restricted change can properly be called evolution. For, in evolution there is a goal and also right effort to achieve the goal.45 In un-restricted change there is no aim visible. The process goes on through cyclic elevations and depressions. Thus the evolution is a specialized process of the change, which does not prevail necessarily everywhere as a law, but is made to prevail through efforts. Hence, the change comes to be the fundamental law. The universe as such is not progressing but merely changing. Yet progress is potential in change, which is vertical in nature, whereas change as such is horizontal.
This apparent difference between the philosophy of the Jainas and that of Sri Aurobindo needs be clarified. Sri Aurobindo maintains that sooner or later every body, nay, every existent being, will of necessity attain the status of perfection and all-bliss. It is a necessary stage to be attained by every spirit.46 But for this to happen he, unlike other evolutionists interpolates so many conditions to be fulfilled and vows
43 M. Pd., 7.
44
101
I.P.S., p. 80.
Criticizing Bergson, S. K. Maitra also corroborates the same statement when he says, "For what is spontaneous movement if it is not movement towards anything, what is creative evolution if it does not know what it is to create, what is self-generative action if it is not guided by any purpose?"-Studies in Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy, p. 28.
46 L.D., pp. 839, 854, 864, 1005.
45