Jaina Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Nyayavijay
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
non-possession-these five are held as pure virtues by the followers of all religions. That is, these five are accepted by all as the basic principles constituting their religions. The following verse explains the meaning of the term 'dharma’: durgatiprapatatprāṇidhāraṇād dharma ucyate / dhatte caitān śubhasthäne tasmād dharma iti smrtaḥ //
This verse states that that which saves living beings from falling into lower conditions or miserable states is religion. Again, it says that that which lifts their life from the lower state to the higher one is religion. Religion (dharma) is the natural quality of soul, which is experienced by all. On account of the removal of traces of the past evil acts, the passions of attachment and aversion become mild, and consequently mental purity is attained; this mental purity is the real religion. This is the lustre of life. Compassion, friendliness, doing good to others, truthfulness, self-control, renunciation--all these good qualities constitute the auspicious light of the internal pure life. Life permeated with such light is called religious life.
Types of Knowledge When karmic coverings causing delusion are loosened or completely removed, right faith or attitude manifests itself. And as soon as it makes its manifestation, knowledge becomes right. This has been said earlier. Thus, there obtains an invariable relation between right faith and right knowledge. There are five types of knowledge, viz., mati, śruta, avadhi, manahparyāya and kevala. Knowledge obtained through sense-organs in contact with mind is called matijñāna. We see with eyes, taste with tongue, smell with nose, hear with ears and touch with skin. All these five knowledges are the cases of matijñāna. Memory, recognition, cogitation and inference also come under the head of matijñāna. Knowledge gained through words or signs is śrutajñāna. Both these types of knowledge being dependent on sense-organs are considered to be indirect. Yet the five knowledges had through five sense-organs, viz., experiences of colour, taste, smell, sound and touch are perceptual from empirical standpoint; so, they are called empirical perceptions. Similarly, experience of pleasure, pain, etc. gained through mind is empirical mental perception. One knows one's internal states through empirical mental perception.
Here the context demands the treatment of sense-organs from the Jaina standpoint.