Jain Journal 1990 01

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

Page 15

78
Jaina Mokşa
(a) Definition of Moksa :
Mokşa, the last of the Jaina moral categories, is the gist of karmaphenomenology and its relation to the science of Soul. Mukti is total deliverance of the Soul from all karmic veil-sarvāvaraṇavimuktirmuktih. As Umasvami defines, mokşa is the total and final freedom from all karmic-matter, owing to the non-existence of the cause of bondage and the shedding (of all the karmas).34 Asrava is the infiux of the karma-particles into the Soul. It is nothing but the actions of the body, speech and mind. Jiva35 takes matter in accordance with its own karma because of self-possession.36 Now since the karmic-inflow is the principle of bondage and hence its stoppage must be a condition of mokşa. So samvara is opposite to asrava.37 Samvara literally means controlling. Samvara only arrests fresh-flow of karma-particles, but what we require is not only stoppage of the fresh-flow but also dissipation of the old one. This shedding or dissipation called nirjara is possible by austerities.38 This scheme of samvara and nirjara reminds us of the Hindu idea of the different varieties of karma.39 Umasvami has two prefixes-vi (viseşarūpeṇa), pra (prakṛṣṭarupena) 40 in defining moksa, meaning thereby that mokşa is the total and exhaustive dissolution of all karmic-particles, which is the condition of omniscience.
(b) The Nature of Moksa :
The Agamic verse 'sukhamatyantikam yatra' etc. admits the experience of eternal bliss in the state of mukti. "It is the safe, happy and quiet place which is reached by the great sages."41 Some of the Jaina Acaryas regard bliss as an attitude of knowledge. 42 Buddhists, however, regard them as opposite. In Advaita Vedanta, consciousness and bliss co-mingle
84 Tattvartha-sutra, X. 2.
35 Ibid., VI. 1-2.
36 Ibid., VIII. 3.
37 Ibid., IX. 1.
38 Ibid., IX. 3.
39 Devi-bhagavata, 6. 10, 9. 14; Prakarana-pancika, p. 156.
40 Tattvartha-sutra, X. 1.
Sutra-krtanga, I. 1; I. 15. 16.
42 Pujyapada, Sarvartha-siddhi, X. 4.
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