Jainism and Mahavira

Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Digambar Jain Sahitya Sanskriti Sanskaran Samiti

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Agamika tradition does not mean empirical perception, i.e. Knowledge obtained through sense organs. According to this definition, the Avadhijnana, Manahparyayajnana and Kevalajnana are comprised in Pratyaksa and Matijnana, and Srutajnana in Paroksa.
The Jaina definition of Pratyaksa was quite different from those of other philosophical systems. According to the latter, Pratyaksa is an acknowledgement gained through sense organs. It created a serious difficulty for Jaina philosophers. The rivals began to question their standpoint. Having examined their arguments, the later Jaina philosophers accepted Pratyaksa as the knowledge produced by sense organs also. Jinabhadra and Akalanka however, analysed it as Samvyavaharika Pratyaksa (empirical perception), while the real Pratyaksa of Agamika tradition was called Paramarthika Pratyaksa (transcendental perception). Thus Matijnana which was put under Paroksa in the Agamika tradition, came under the category of Pratyaksa in philosophical tradition. JAINA ETHICS AND SPIRITUALITY
Spiritual disciplines and practices are representative wings of religion and philosophy. Spirituality is immanent in human nature, religion is a moral force and philosophy is an intellectual instrument for achieving the spiritual and religious goals. Under this perspective, Jainism originally preaches ideals for attaining spirituality. Its religious aspects enjoin discipline for social upliftment and philosophy justifies them for exemplary behaviors. Spirituality relates to having belief in an independent existence of soul, its nature of innate purity, and the removal of ignorance through right mea To attain this spiritual goal a certain amount of disciplines and practices are prescribed by all the systems. Therefore there is no controversy over the spiritual goal but controversy lies in framing the disciplines and practices leading to the goal. Here we shall have a bird's view of the concept of Jainism in this regard.
For spiritual realization, according to Jaina tradition, right faith (Samyagdarsana), right knowledge (Samyagjnana), and right conduct (Samyagcaritra) constitute path of spiritual salvation termed
23. Tattvartharajavartika, 1.47-8.
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