Jain Journal 1974 01

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

Page 49

JANUARY, 1974
133
context of jīva. Jīva has been characterized by upoyoga, amūrtatva (formlessness), kartītva (agency), svadeha-parimāņatva (extension same as its own body), bhoga (enjoyment of the fruits of karma), existence in samsāra (life in the world) siddhatva (pefection) and ürddhagatitva (upward motion). These characteristics of jīva sharply points out the distinctiveness of the Jaina view. Prof. Banerjee went on to say that it is certain that the jiva has consciousness whatever else it may have or not. Niścaya Naya emphasises consciousness as essential for jīva while Vyayahāra Naya maintains that the jiva is possessed of four primes, viz., indriya (senses), bala (force), āyu (life) and āņā-prāna (respiration). Vyavahāra Naya, however, does not contradict the existence of consciousness; it is essential through upoyoga. The jīva has been characterized both as formless and as of the same extension as its body. This appears paradoxical but the paradox may be solved if one considers jīva both from the baddha and the mukta points of view. The baddha jīva must have a body but the mukta jīva is formless though it has madhyamaparimāņa. The Jaina theory of mokṣa strongly suggests the possibility of continuance of individuality after liberation. This may throw new light on the highly interesting problem of immortality. If the theory of personal identity is construed in a fashion in which bodily criterion can be dispensed with, same form of individual existence may very well appear plausible in Jainism. Jaina criticism of Nyāya concept of mokşa on this particular point is illuminating. Jainism tries to avoid the paradox of multiplicity without distinction on the one hand and total non-dualism which is the logical completion of the other. Prof. Banerjee dealt at length on his subject and made a remarkable survey of the concept of Moksa in Jainism.
Dr. Adhir Chakravarti, Professor and Head of the Department of History, Jhargram College, read his paper “Some Aspects of Socioeconomic Life from the Jaina Canonical Literature". He said that both Mahavira and Buddha hailed from more or less the same region of the country, viz., North-Eastern India and were close contemporaries. This fact has given rise to a tendency amongst scholars to gloss over the facts gleaned from the early Jaina texts. After stating the Buddhist point on any aspect of society and economy, one simply says that the same may be said from the Jaina texts as well. It is, however, conveniently forgotton that the geographical horizon of early Jainism was much wider. It comprised the Ladha country with its sub-divisions, Sumhabhumi (Burdwan and Birbhum districts), Vajjabhumi (possibly Midnapore district), Tamalitti (Tamralipti, modern Tamluk) and Vanga (South-East Bengal), and Sauviradesa (Sovira of the Buddhist texts, Lower Indus Valley) and Sauripura, the birth-place of Aristanemi