Jain Journal 2002 10

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

Page 25

JAIN JOURNAL VOL-XXXVII, NO. 2 OCT. 2002
separably and inevitably involved in the stucture of reality. This is anekāntic view of reality.
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Advaita proceeds from the premise that there is only one reality, the ultimate reality of Brahman, which is existent, eternal, everlasting and unchanging. The other "realities", such as jīva (individual self) and jagat (the Universe) are only appearances. Jainism, on the other hand, proceeds from the multiplicity of realities, particularly jīva (living) or ajada (sentient or consciuos being) and ajīva (non-living, jada or insentient substances). What is significant is that for Jains, the reality is both permanent and ever-changing. Substance or reality, according to Jainism, is a multifaceted complexity. It is endowed with many qualities or attributes, which in turn undergoes modifications. i.c. origination and destruction, with the substatum remaining intact. The nature of reality is dynamic and therefore the substance must evolve into qualities (guņas) and modifications (paryāyas) and must constantly undergo the triplicate stage of origination, annihilation, and permanence or stability. Thus, the Jaina view of reality is quite comprehensive and accommodates not only the realities of both Brahman and Jagat but also the concepts of both Being and Becoming.
Although Sankara and Jainism adopt identically the same attitude as to the nature of the individual self and maintain that the individual soul is identical with the ultimate reality, the Supreme Self (Sankara calls it Brahman and Jains Paramatman), there are significant differences. Though many attributes are common between the Upanisadic Brahman and Jaina Paramatman and they are used as synonymous, because they represent the concept of an ultimate reality, their implications offen differ. Although the word "Brahma" and "Svayambhu" are mentioned in the Jain literature and the concept of transcendence discussed, they differ from Advaita system in important aspects.
In the Svayambhū Stotra, Acārya Samantabhadra, a staunch
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15. This is discussed in Jagdish Prasad Jain "Sadhak", "The Concept of Paryāya and Jaina Way of Life," paper presented at the Seminar on "The Concept of Paryaya" organised in March 2001 by the Indian Council of Philosophical Research in collaboration with Adhyatma Sadhna Kendra, New Delhi,
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lished in Jain Journal. October 2001, pp. 57-65.
16. For a detailed discussion on Upanisadic Brahman and Jaina Paramātman, see Foreword by Jagdish Prasad Jain "Sadhak" in Devendra K. Goyal, ed.. The Path to Enlightenment: Svayambhu Stotra by Samantabhadra (New Delhi. Radiant Publishers, 2000).