Jaina Philosophy Historical Outline

Author(s): Narendra Nath Bhattacharya
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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156 Jain Philosophy in Historical Outline
stage, known as apramatta, anger is practically controlled but pride, deceit and greed remain in a slight degree. The process continues at the next higher stage known as apūrvakaraṇa in which pride is controlled and the fetters of Karma tends to become loose. The ninth step is known as aniyatibādra. At this stage deceit disappears while greed persists until the Jīva reaches the tenth step which is known as sukṣmasamparyaya. But complete annihilation of greed requires two more stages-upaśāntamoha and kṣīṇamoha-after which the Jiva becomes entirely free from all Kaṣāyas. The last two stages are known respectively as sayogikevali and ayogikevali through which all karma is purged away.
A Review of the Jain Metaphysics
In view of what we have seen above in the preceding sections it appears that Jainism in its sophisticated stage represents a curious blend of scientific notions and ethico-religious ideals. Rather, we may say that in its earlier stages Jainism wanted to base itself on physical sciences, but its later exponents developed numerous abstractions on the basis of a priori principles. It offers us an empirical classification of things in the universe. Its scheme of the universe is said to be based on logic and experience. In its metaphysics, Jainism reveals a sense of realism. In logic, it takes its stand on the relativity of knowledge. Jainism does not take up the question of origins. It also repudiates the theory of an extra-cosmic God as the creator or intelligent cause of the world.
The Jain metaphysics is practically an inextricable admixture of science and ethico-religious principles. The whole universe of being, as we have seen above, is traced to the two everlasting, uncreated, co-existing but independent categories of Jiva and Ajiva. A Jiva is whatever is living, whatever is not mechanical. It is a concrete unity, a compound substance, a combination of materiality, knowledge and consciousness. The difference between the Jiva and the Ajiva is not like that between spirit and matter or soul and matter or consciousness and matter. Rather, both of these aspects are combined in the Jiva. The Ajiva is that which is devoid of three kinds of consciousness. It is an object which can be touched, tasted, seen and smelt. It consists of motion, rest, space, time and matter. Space, motion and rest are the necessary conditions for the subsistence of all things. Space affords them room to subsist, motion and rest make it possible for them to move or to be moved. The succes