Jaina Concept of Omniscience

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

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CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORISATION
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-realisation.16 Knowing the self, in Indian Philosophy and in Jainism is not like knowing an object in the ordinary sense. Knowing here means realising. Therefore, omniscience as “self knowledge” means self-realisation. Self-realisation is the same as spiritual realisation.
Omniscience as self-realisation is logically very much different from omniscience as conducive to spiritual realisation In the former sense, it is the end of life, therefore it is of intrinsic value. In the latter sense, it is a means to the acqui. sition of the end; therefore, it is of instrumental value. The same thing can be both means and an end but it cannot be a means to itself. Therefore, we can not accept that omniscience is both conducive to and identical with self-realisation. How. ever, it seems to me that it is quite natural to pass from one to the other, though the transition is not logical. This is what seems to have happended If Sukhalālaji is to be trusted in his interpretation of Jainism, the Jainas started with the conception of omniscience as “the knowledge of the means of spiritual realisation" and then passed on to omniscience as "self-realisation."
This latter view is in accordance with the Jaina belief that self is the central entity, being the ground of knowledge, morality and spiritual effort. The characteristic of the soul is to be always knowing; therefore, the soul is certainly the subject of knowledge, the knower par excellence.1? The know. ledge of this basic reality is the supreme knowledge.
At this point we find a very remarkable agreement between the Jaina and the Upaniaşdic standpoints.18 It is, no
16 Kundakunda, Niyama Sara, Ch. X & XI, Gāthās 149-150, 158;
Pancastikā ya Sara, Gāthā 166, Pravacana Sara, I. 27; I. 36, Samaya
Sāra, Ch. X (All Pure Knowledge), Gātnā 403; Asta Pahuda, 58, 61. 17 Kundakurda, Saina ya Sara, Gathā, 403. 18 For Upanișadic view, vide, Mundaka, 1.2.11; Bịhad, II. 5.6 : Chand,
VI.21. To the question “By knowing what one knows everything", it is replied that by “knowing Atman one knows everything”Bșhad. II. 4.5.