Jain Journal 1970 07

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

Page 44

JAIN. JOURNAL
self-realization of the spirit. Here a very minute difference occurs between the Jaina and the Vedantic view of Sri Aurobindo. The Jaina advocates the clear-cut duality of the spirit and the matter. Whereas Sri Aurobindo advocates non-duality essentially, though accepting duality in the form of two poles of evolution practically. Evolution, according to the Jaina view, takes place in the sphere of spirit through one's own efforts, with the simultaneous destruction of the opposite principle of the matter. The state of the kevala-jñāna appears as a result of winning over the matter completely. According to Sri Aurobindo, material elements are not annihilated from the region of the spirit, but they are spiritualized and transformed into the sphere of Saccidananda. The Jaina disagrees with such type of explanation, holding the view, if the matter and the spirit are the opposite realities, one can never be the other. A thing consists in the is-ness of itself-qua-no-ness of the 'other'. Its beingness for a realist, denotes a clear distinction from the other. If both are held at-all to be one existentially, it is only at the cost of realism. Then the Aurobindian criticism of Sankara is futile, for his position is not much different from that of Sankara. If still he sticks to the position of a realist, the Jaina position is un-alterable. However, such a theoretical and academic difference has a little significance on the face of the practical aspect of self-realization. The main point which is admissible to both is the evolution in the character of spirit.
Now, the Jaina is critical of the Samkhya as well as the AdvaitaVedanta, who advocate the reality of salvation attainable by means of the jñāna only. He adds to it the process of right conduct fully pregnant with the power of will for the sake of attaining salvation.?? Right knowledge without right conduct supported by the actual will-power is a well-manured land without plough. Here Sri Aurobindo seems joining hands with the Jaina, when the former lays much stress on the concomitance of the knowledge with the power. These are the two steps of dynamic consciousness, as says Sri Aurobindo “......... if it were in its nature and vision in knowledge and not at-all dynamic power of knowledge, we would hope to attain by its contacts a beautific state of mental illumination, but not a greater light and power for the works of the world. But since the consciousness is creatrix of the world, it must not be only state of knowledge, but power of knowledge, and not only a will to light and vision, but a will to power and works.”78 Thus knowledge cannot be comprehended with its entire connotation, until and unless it is associated with the active force of consciousness.
77 A. Kh. to 290 to 292. 78 c.f. L. D., p. 145.