Jaina Concept of Omniscience

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

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how knowledge acquired from both these points of views (Dravya and Paryāya) will make anybody omniscient, because everything can be known from these two points of view. And just to know a certain thing in this manner quite obviously is not to make the knower omniscient. It seems, however, that another interpretation can also be given. It may mean I:nowledge of essential things from both of the two points of view. i, e., only he can be omniscient who knows all the essential reality and knows them from the points of view of both substances and modes. In this sense, Sukhalālaji's position becomes a much more precise version of the view that omniscience is the knowledge of the essential things and at the same time it remains different from the view that omniscience is the knowledge of all things.
But in the body of Jaina philosophy, the meaning of omni. science as the knowledge of essential principle is substantially the same as the knowledge of self because the self is regarded as the most essential principle Therefore, to know what is most essential is to know the self. He who knows the self, knows everything. It is mentioned by some important thinkers like Kundakunda, Pūjyāpāda, Yogindu and others that knowledge of the self underlies the knowledge of everything. Sthānanga Sūtra's suggestion about 'one soul' (Ige āyā) and one universe' (lge loye)21 is very significant. In Niyama Sāra, Kundakunda clearly says : “It is from the practical point of view only that the Omniscient Lord perceives and knows all; from the real stand-point, the Omniscient perceives and knows his soul only.??? It means that the spiritual seeker should not engage himself in the flickering thought-activities concerning various attributes and modifications of all the six dravyas. He should devote his full attention to the realisation of his own self. Yogindu's words are also remarkable when he declares “ that Ātman is known, everything else is known, so Arman should
21 Sthānanga Sutra, I.1, 1.4. 22 Kundakunda, Niyama-Sara, G. 158.