Jain Journal 1983 04

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

Page 15

Sankara and Kundakunda
BHAGWANT SINGH
This paper proposes to make a critical and comparative study of two great thinkers and philosophers of India, namely, Acarya Kundakunda and Acarya Sankara. According to temporal-order Kundakunda's Jain system comes prior to Sankara's Advaita system and hence, Sankaracarya is posterior to Kundakundacarya. This order of priority and posteriority of time naturally raises the questions: Is Sankara's Advaitism affected by Kundakunda's philosophy? This constitutes the justification of a critical and comparative study of the two thinkers and philosophers.
Both, Kundakunda and Sankara maintain difference between empirical and absolute points of view. Sankara, according to Advaitic (non-dualistic) point of view, holds that the world is a empirical reality (vyāvahārika satta). From absolute (päramärthika) point of view it is mithya. Buddhist thinkers hold that Sankara has copied this doctrine of maintaining distinction between empirical and absolute points of view from Buddhistic tradition. But this charge is a result of mere ignorance about the Jaina philosophy which is prior to Buddhist tradition. Jaina metaphysics maintains that knowledge is obtained through pramāņas and nayas. Pramāṇa-nayaih adhigamah-is the fundamental Jaina doctrine of knowledge. Following this very Jaina tradition Kundakunda starts his work Samayasara, the nature of the supreme self by mentioning the distinction between emperical (vyāvahārika) and real (niscaya) points of view.
In his existential life man thinks himself to be the bhokta (enjoyer) and kartā (doer). He, according to Sankara, suffers from avidyā (ignorance) and identifies himself with his body, senses etc., and hence becomes unaware of the fact that he is not confined and limited merely with his body and senses but is identical to the absolute Self. Then, the spiritual Self with its adjuncts or jivātman (individual-self) is taken to be the agent and enjoyer, aquires merit and demerit and experiences pleasure and pain. But the same self, when viewed in the light of absolute point of view, is the transcendental Self (Atman) which is completely free from all sorts of limitations and bondage, and enjoys eternal pleasure. Kundakunda has already granted that Jivātman and Paramatman are
1Sariraka Bhasya, 1.2.8.