Jainism from the View Point of Vedantic Acaryas

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: B J Institute

Page 32

Jainism from the view point of Vedāntic Acāryas
21 Nimbārka rejects this view because he believes in atomic size of the soul. According to him accepting the view that soul is of the size of the body, involves incompleteness on the part of Jiva (एवं शरीरपरिमाणत्वेन 315łane 31164A: TEETH 374UCI BUCL I V.P.S., II.II.34). If we accept this view, then the size of the soul of an elephant will be as huge as the body of the elephant and the size of the soul of an ant will be as small as the body of an ant. The difficulty is, when the soul of an elephant will obtain the body of an ant or when the soul of an ant will obtain the body of an elephant due to its own deeds (Karmas), it will be rather impossible for both of them to enter into the body of one another. (ga 7 EYRAUT gasfy alas I. 219: ? Tu ! देहपरिमाण आत्मा कर्मवशात्पिपीलिकाशरीरं विहाय गजशरीरं यदाऽऽप्नोति तदा तस्याऽकात्स्यं स्यात् । गजशरीरानुरूपं परिपूर्णत्वं न स्यात् । गजाकारदेहानिर्गतस्य चात्मनः सूक्ष्मशरीरे प्रविष्टस्य तदनुरूपं सूक्ष्मत्वञ्च न Pufgref: 1 V.K., II.II.34). To avoid this difficulty Jainas maintain that ātman (soul) is possessed of attributes of contraction and expansion. The soul has infinite number of parts (avayava). So, in the body of an elephant, its parts increase and in an ant body, its parts are decreased. Nimbārka says that the soul (ātman) cannot be said to possess parts (avayavas), which are subject to increase and decrease, because of the resulting fault of change, etc., on its parts. (34€41452e4091 37475T 7 fantas, sfat a 7 aj prakty, fachfraifaci994: 1 V.P.S., II.II. 35).
Increase and decrease of parts of soul (jiva)