Jaina Concept of Omniscience

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

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CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORISATION
Jainism as well as by some external circumstances. In what follows I shall try to outline this process of change.
(B) Chief Senses of Omniscience' . Like any other topic in ancient Indian Philosophy, the concept of omniscience is not amenable to a rigorously historical treatment. It is very difficult rather almost impossible to sketch the origion, development and growth of this concept, if it is intended to present the history of its successive modifications and formulations. Therefore, in what follows, I shall present an account which may not be historically all correct but will certainly depict the besic strands in the complicated growth of the concept.
Pt. Sukhalālaji claims that in the beginning, omniscience meant "knowledge of everything conducive to spiritual realisation.” I have not been able to find out statements supporting this view in the classical Jaina literature but to accept it on the authority of Sukhalālajī does not seem to be unreasonable specially because it fits in very well with the general trend of Jainism lcíh as religion ard philosophy. It is in keeping with the religious and spiritual tone of Jainism also. The path of moksa consists in right-knowledge, right-faith and right-conduct. 14 Right-knowledge is said to be the clear idea of the real nature of the ego and the non-ego, freed from the doubt, perversity and indefiniteness."15 Hence spiritual seekers have to gain such knowledge. And this is nothing but omniscience.
But in many early works of Jainism, I do find statements which make omniscience identical with self-knowledge or self
14 Umāswāmi, Tattvārtha Sutra, I. 1; Kundakunda, Pañcāstika yasāra,
Gāthā 169; Nemicandra, Dravya Sangraha, Gāthā 39; Viranandi, Candra prabhacaritam, (ed.) Durga Pd. & V.L. Sāstri (Bombay, 1912), XVIII. 123; Hariscardra Kavi, Dharmaśarmabhyudayam, (ed.) Durgā
Pd. (Bombay, 1894) XXI. 161. 15 Dravyasangraha, Gāthā 42.