Book Title: Jaina Epistemology
Author(s): Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Previous | Next

Page 435
________________ 410 Epistemology of Jalnas avadhi is possible in lower stages also while manaḥparyāya does not occur below the sixth stage. But, these powers are not inevitable. They are exceptional powers (labdhis) obtained by only a small number of aspirants. Like yoga-system the Jaipa also holds that these supernatural powers are interruptions in the spiritual progress, but the latter exempts super-normal knowledge from that category. In the twelfth gunasthāna the aspirant destroys mohapiya completely. This stage can be compared with destruction of avidyā as held by the Buddhist aud Vedantist and the removal of illusion of identity between praksti and purusa as held by Sankhya. The thirteenth guņastbāna is the stage of revelation; which is attained by destroying the remaining three ghātikarmans. According to the Buddhist the cessation of avidyā means the cessation of soul, which is a flow of impressions produced by avidyā. The stage of realization, therefore, does not exist any longer. According to Vedānta it is the state of realization of Brahman. According to Sānkhya and Yoga it is vivekakhyāti. According to Jainism it is complete view of the entire universe. But, the function of mind continues in it. In the fourteenth guṇasthāna the activity of all the three yogas is stopped. In the stage of liberation the physical body also does not exist. As far as the question of omniscience is concerned we have three stages (1) sayogi-kevalin or the thirteenth gunastbāna, (2) ayogikevalin or the fourteenth gunastbāna and (3) the siddhas (liberated souls). The first question that arises in this respect is whether there is any difference among the three stages, as far as kevalajñāna is concerned. We can compare them with other systems in the following way : 1. Sayogikevalin--Jivanmukta without trance, 2. Ayogi kevalin-JIvanmukta in trance (asamprajñāta. samādhi) 3. Siddha-Kaivalya. All the non-jaina systems except Nyāya and Vaišeşika, . Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516