Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 59

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JAINA PHILOSOPHY : AN INTRODUCTION
The existence of Self is self-proved (svavamsiddha) and cannot be denied. It is always conscious.
Now, there arises a question : If the Self is changeless and permanent, what about the reality of the external world ? Sankara recognises three grades of reality.' The external objects of our ordinary experience have only a vyāvahārika sattā (empirical reality), the objects appearing in dreams and illusions enjoy only a prātibhāsika sattā (illusory appearance) and the Brahman, i. e., the Absolute has the pāramărthika sattā (ultimate reality). The vyāvahārika and prātibhāsika existences are real from a lower stand-point. The ultimate reality is the highest reality which is devoid of all differences and contradictions. This reality is further described as 'prapañcasya ekāyanam', i. e., the basis of the whole world including the things, the senses and the mind.? Or again it is described as the 'bhūma' which though the ground of every thing, does not itself stand in need of a ground or support; it is apratisthita and anāśrita.: The Self is not affected by the appearance of the duality of subject and object. It is pure consciousness running through all the appearances. It is indescribable by the categories of thought. It can only be realised by intuition where there is no dualism of the subject and the object, the knower and the known. The subject-object-dualism is ultimately reduced to pure consciousness which is nothing but bliss. Our intellect cannot grasp the ultimate reality because it is absolute and infinite, while our intellect is limited and finite. We cannot know Brahman but we can become Brahman. 'He who knows Brahman, becomes Brahman." The appearance of the external world and of the individual souls is due to lgnorance or Nescience (Avidyā). At the time of the realisation of the Self it automatically disappears.
1. Vedānta-siddhānta-muktāvali p. 25. 2. Sänkara-bhāṣya, I. 4; VI. 19. 3. Chandogya-upanisad, VII. 24. 1. 4. Brahmavid brahma eva bhavati.