Jaina View Towards Philosophical Inquiry and Harmonious Ways of Living

Author(s): S R Bhatt
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

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After production comes distribution and use. For this the guiding principles are asteya and aparigraha. Fair and just distribution and legitimate use or enjoyment both are needed for intra-generational and intergenerational justice. The policy of corporate living, of caring and sharing, implies that we have to care for the present generation as well as for the future generations to come. But ultimately all human endeavours and enterprises should be a means to and directed towards the realization of cosmic wellbeing which is the summumbonum of life. It a state of freedom in which infinitude of the self is restored. Here also sama, s'ama and s'rama have relevance. So purusartha is needed here. All individual selves in their pure form share the four infinite virtues. But in empirical state they differ from one another. These distinctions are due to beginningless subtle material coverings known as karma. It has physical and psychical aspects known as dravya karma and bhava karma respectively. Though of varied nature karma have been broadly classified into eight types. They are
1. Knowledge-obscuring—jnanavaraniya) 2. Intuitive-obscuring—(darsanavaraniya) 3. Feeling-producing----(vedaniya) 4. Delusion-producing--- (mohaniya) 5. Longivity-determining-(ayu) 6. Body-making---(nama) 7. Status-determining-(gotra), and
8. Obstruction-generating---(anataraya) The summumbonum of life is realization of four infinites (anantacatustayas). This is known as moksaor mukti. The best and surest means of it is yoga. The technique of yoga symbolizes the core of Indian spiritual sadhana. The term 'yoga' has three etymological derivations, viz., yujiryoge, yujsamyamane and yujsamadhau. In the Jainism all the three find due place and role. It is union with pure or impure, it is selfcontrol, and it is concentration of mind. Further, in Jainism we find a happy symbiosis of jnanayoga and karmayoga The Jaina tradition emphasizes the principle of permanence-in-change which means that permanence inheres in change or change is embedded in permanence. This position presents a fine synthesis of the basic positions of Vedanta and Buddhism on the one hand and Samkhya and Vaisesika on the other, all of which get their enunciation in the Vedas and the Upanisads. The Indian culture is an integral whole in which different strands are interwoven with remarkable symmetry but one should have the sense of apprehending them. It is for us to see the differences and discords or organic unity. The healthy and positive approach is to see the underlying commonality which nourishes diversity as its richness. At the present juncture of time humanity is passing through turmoil and facing a crisis which is manifold and multi-dimensional. Humanity is stationed at a cross road. On the one hand there are marvels of science and technology, on the other there are value-erosions, moral degeneration, and different types of deprivations leading to tensions, strife and suffering. Besides this problems arising out of globalization are also compelling the ratiocinative human mind to seek for new philosophy of life. With the emergence of global society in which we are interacting with people of different ideas and ideals, cultures and traditions, religious and moral norms there arises the increasing need for a global ethics of mutuality and interdependence and inter-cultural dialogue for new set of appropriate interpersonal relationships. The ideas of global ethics and inter-cultural dialogues unfold themselves in the compassionate, rational and symbiotic Jaina ethics of tolerance, interconnectivity and reciprocity and in the basic non-absolutistic postulates which preserve unity and diversity without undermining the identity of either of the two. The Jaina tradition emphasizing anekanta(multi-dimensional approach to truth), syadvada (contextual and situational approach to reality and knowledge) and iccha-parimana (limitations of wants, possessions and consumption) is an important tributary of this mainstream idea which found sanctuary in the heritage of India and which is the main motif in the mosaic of Indian culture. The philosophy of Anuvrata highlighted by contemporary Jaina thinkers presents a model of ideal human living. It is a practice of samatva. The method of prekshadhyana is a practical exercise to mould life according to that model. It is a psychophysical transformation of an individual. On that basis the art of living known as jivanvijnana has been