Jaina View of Life

Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

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Jaina View of Life
composition of a poem of music. “The structure of the mind is a conceptual system that we have to build up by inference from the date of the two orders, facts of behaviour and the facts of introspection."98 The same can be said of the composition of the manas.
Each Jiva has its own mind, although the general nature of mind is one : mano lakṣaṇatvena sarvamanasām ekatvāt”, because the essential nature of mind is the expression of the mental states. In the Sthānanga we read, ege jivānam maņe."** In this way and according to the situation, the Gods, men and Asuras have each his own mind. In the Tattvarthasü tra, the classification of the souls, five sensed organisms with minds, is mentioned; sañjñinaḥ samanakah.36 In the five-sensed organisms only some possess minds. Comparative psychologists like Kohler and Alverdes have shown that mind in the developed form is possible in the case of higher animals having insight. Naiyāyikas also believe that each organism possesses a mind and sensitive organs in order that it may be in a position to cognize the objects and to experience pleasure and pain in accordance with past Karman. Each self has one mind, because a single mind of atomic magnitude cannot be shared by all. This mind in each self can function only inside the organism with which the self is connected.26 If there was one common mind for all, there would be simultaneity of cognition. A similar argument was presented by the Jaina thinkers in favour of the Jiva being bhāvamanorūpa. If the Jiva was sarvagata, there would be cognition of everything by everyone." Their arguments were metaphysical and epistemological than psychological. But
23. McDougall (W): Outline of Psychology, 12th Ed., p. 42. 24. Abhidhănarājendra, Vol. VI, p. 82 and Sthânănga 1, 6. ege deva
sura-manussänam tarsi samayansi. 25. Tatt vārthasūtra, Ch. II Sūtra 11. 26. Bhaduri (S.): Nyaya Vaiseșika Conception of Mind, as appearing
in B. C. Law Volume. !1. Ürita träj::1/1, VI, p. 73: Srv.nzrahun 1.prasamgataḥ api tat
asamgatam.