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Jaina Perspective in Philosophy and Religion
cause the course of future events are partly determined. by the past and present and partly undetermined. I think, Buddha's hesitation in claiming unqualified omniscience was influenced mainly by moral considerations. If he knew the future acts of human beings, there was no meaning in voluntary. action or freedom of will which forms the basis of ethics and morality. In fact, what is foreseen (i. e., known conclu. sively ), is necessary and what is necessary is outside the scope of ethics, 1
(9) In view of these difficulties, I wonder why the belief in omniscience in some form or other has been a matter of faith, closely connected with the spiritual aspirations of the people. In India, it has been accepted sometimes as a religious dogma, sometimes as a philosophical doctrine and sometimes as both. Except the Cárvikas, almost all the systems of Indian Philosophy - both orthodox and heterodox accept it. Even to the Mimamsakas, "All that is pertinent is the denial of knowledge of harma by man...” They do not intend to deny "the possibility of person knowing all other things. Even the famous passage of Kumarila in question "does not set aside omniscience,"3
(10) To my mind, the reasons and motives in formulating the concept of omniscience are extra-logical, for it is always at the cost of freedom of will, the basis of our moral life.
1. Cp. Theodice, Part I, Sec, 27. 2. Sántarakṣita, Tattva-Sangraha, Vol. II, K. 3128 (G. O.
I. L., Baroda ). 3. Kumarila, Sloka-Varttika, II. 110-111,
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