Jain Journal 1987 07

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

Page 9

2
"O Gautama! from one point of view, the soul is permanent; from another point of view, the soul is not permanent. From the view-point of substance, the soul is permanent; from the view-point of modes, the soul is not permanent."1
Lord Mahavira emphasised the identity of soul and knowledge from one stand-point. In the Acaranga-sūtra it is said: "Soul is knowledge and knowledge is soul..." From another point of view, he emphasised the difference of various modes and according to these modes the soul was classified. We find in the Bhagavati-sutra: "O Lord! How many kinds of soul are there ?" "O Gautama! The soul is said to be of eight types viz., dravya-ātmā (from the point of view of substance), kaṣāyaātmā (from the point of view of passion).....
**3
JAIN JOURNAL
Similarly, the medium of motion is said to be one as well as many. From the stand-point of substance (dravya) the medium of motion is one and from the view-point of particles (pradesas), it is innumerable. The same method can be applied to the medium of rest etc.
Seven-fold Judgment
An object is the possessor of infinite characteristics. When we select one of its characteristics with the opposite aspect and judge it, this kind of judgment has seven forms, hence, it is called seven-fold judgment." The following are the seven propositions with reference to the concrete illustration of pot:
1. Relatively the pot exists.
2. Relatively the pot does not exist.
3. Relatively the pot exists and does not exist.
4. Relatively the pot is indescribable.
5. Relatively the pot exists and is indescribable.
6. Relatively the pot does not exist and is indescribable.
7. Relatively the pot exists, does not exist and is indescribable.
In these propositions, the word 'relatively' is most significant. Every judgment bears the stamp of relativity, by which the notion of absolu
1 goyama ! jiva siya sasaya siya asasaya. goyama! davvatthayae sasaya bhavatthayae asasaya-Bhagavati-sutra, VII. 2. 273.
2 je aya se vinnaya.
3 Bhagavati-sutra, XII. 10.467.
* Prajnapana-sutra, III. 56.
5 Pramana-naya-tattvaloka, IV, 14.