Jaina Concept of Omniscience

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

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THE OMNISCIENT BEING
nant characterisation of spit is such that it is impossible that it should either be bound or released. "57 Anyway, the state of Mokṣa is the state of knowledge and so long avidya remains there is no release. We have earlier discussed that in Yoga Philosophy, the state of Mokṣa is also the state of omniscience because it requires absolutely clear knowledge through concentration. In Jainism, the soul is essentially a knowing substance and is potentially omniscient, omnipotent etc. So in the state of Moksa, when the Karmic-veil is removed, the soul shines in its full splendour and possesses omniscience. Mallisena, a Jaina philosopher, ridicules the Naiyayikas for reducing Moksa to a negative condition in which there is no consciousness and no joy.58 The Jainas like the Upanisadic
thinkers, 59 Buddhists,60 Nyaya-Vaiseṣikas, 01 Sānkhyas, 02
Yogins,63 Vedāntins, etc. admit the possibility of Jivan-Mukti, which is not accepted by the Rāmānujists, Nimbārka, Mādhva and some others. The duality of Mukti in Jainism is perhaps a legacy of the Upanisads. The Jainas believe in Mokşa as the result of the annulment of nescience and the consequent dawn of wisdom, hence Jivan-Mukti seems to be one and the only legitimate concept. Mukti is, however, Mukti-it is one and indivisible. "It refers to the soul, not to the body, and the
57 Godwin W. F., "Theories of Consciousness and Liberation in Sankhya Philosophy and the Philosophy of G. Santyana, "Pr. Ind. Phil. Congress" (Banglore, 1954, Ceylon Session), p. 17.
58 Mallisena, Syadvāda Mañjari, ed. A. B. Dhurva (Poona, Bombay Sanskrit Series No. 83, 1933), 8.
59 Kath. Up. II. 3.14; Mundaka, III. 2.6; Bṛhad, IV. 4.6-7:
60 Buddhaghosa, Visuddhi Magga, ed. Warren H. (Cambridge, H. O. S. No. 41, 1950), XVI. 73.
61 Vatsyayana, Nyaya Bhasya ed. Jha G. N. ( Poona, Oriental Book Agency, 1939), IV. 2.3.
62 Isvara-Kṛṣṇa, Sankhya-Kārika (University of Madras, 1948), 67.
63 Patanjali, Yoga-Sutra, IV. 30.