Jaina Concept of Omniscience

Author(s): Ramjee Singh
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 24

THE MEANING OF OMNISCIENCE
aspects of 'omniscient', since they do not serve any purpose. To him the real and natural state of a thing is the most straight-forward approach (Ṛju-Sūtra Naya),32 But such an approach will not be as practical as it seems. The omniscient being may not be present here and now, but this does not mean that he is non-existent. This is looking at things with a straight or direct glimpse, devoid of temporal dimensions. This is therefore a fallacious argument known as ṛjusūtrābhāsa.33
So the Vyavahara Naya3 (Practical standpoint) in understanding the meaning 'omniscient' amounts to thinking the omniscient being possessing specific properties only, because generalities cut off from particulars are non-entities. This means that a general idea about an omniscient being as knowing everything is not enough. We must know the particular and specific individual possessing omniscience. "As no wound or scratch can possibly be healed by the application of the general property of poulticeness"35 because the healing properties only inhere in specific poultices, so an idea of omniscience in general without referring to any particular omniscient being, is false. This line of approach which ignores general qualities, is entirely defective and it leads to the fallacy known as Vyavaḥārābhāsa.
11
The Sangraha Naya (Collective standpoint) deals with "the general properties alone while recognising that there exists no specific property apart from general property, i. e., both Viseṣa and Samanya are co-existing and coincident."36 We can illustrate this point with the example of the omniscient being itself. Not a single omniscient being can ever be conceived apart from the general quality of omniscience.
32 Vinaya-Vijaya, Ibid., K. 10-12.
33 Divakara, Siddhasena Ibid.
34 Vinaya-Vijaya, Ibid., K. 9. 35 Vinaya-Vijaya, Ibid., K. 10. 36 Ibid., K. 6.