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Jaina Mokşa in Indian Philosophy
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But Sarvara only arrests fresh-flow of karma-particles. What we require is not only stoppage of the fresh-flow, but also dissipation of the old one. This shedding or dissipation called Nirjara is possible by austerities. Umāsvāmí has used two prefixes—VI ( Višeşarūpeṇa ), PRA (Prakssarūpena )2 in defining Mokşa, meaning thereby that Mokşa is the total and exhaustive dissolution of all karmic particles, which is the condition of omniscience.
(b) The Nature of Moksha: The Āgamic verse csukhamatyantikam yatra" etc. admits the experience of eternal bliss in the state of Mukti. “It is the safe, happy and quiet place which is reached by the great sages.''3 Some of the Jaina Ācāryas regard bliss as an attitude of knowledge. 4 In Advaita Vedanta, consciousness and bliss comingle together in the undifferentiated One Brahman. Mallişena5 ridicules the Naiyāyikas for reducing Mokşa'to a state which is indistinguishable from pebbles, etc. He says that our phenomenal life is better, in which happiness comes at intervals, than the state of Mukti, which is emotionally dead and colourless. But the Jaina claim for attaining a state of eternal happiness in the state of Mokşa faces a serious dilemma. If it is a product (of spiritual Sădhana ), it is non-eternal; and if it is not such a product, it must be conceded that either it is constitutional and inherent or at least impossible of attainment. So the very conception of Jaina Self and bondage makes the enjoyment of eternal happiness well-nigh impossible. This might be a logical objection. But the Jaina idea of Mokşa is one of Infinite Bliss, which follows from the Doctrine of Four-fold Infinities of the Soul.
(c) The Doctrine of Constitutional Freedom and Four-fold Infinities : The Jivas possess four infinities ( ananta catuş. 1. Tattvartha-sūtra, IX. 3. 2. Ibid, X. I. 3. Sūtrakstaniga, I. 1; 1, 15-16. 4. Sarvarthasiddhi of Pūjyapada, X. 4. 5. Syadvadamañjari, V. 8.
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