Jainism from the View Point of Vedantic Acaryas

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

Page 34

Jainism from the view point of Vedāntic Acāryas 23. of rebirth is completely brought to an end. There would be non-difference of the size of the soul in gross body, in subtle body, in bondage and liberation. If we accept this view, then, the doctrine of the size of the soul is of body size, is completely demolished (चरम-देहविनाशानन्तरं यन्मोक्षदशायां परिमाणं स्वरूपञ्च तद्धि नित्यम्भवति । तदा सूक्ष्मस्थूलशरीरपरिग्रहाभावात्तस्य संकोचविकासाभावो भवति । एवम्भूतस्यान्तस्य परिमाणस्य स्वरूपस्य चावस्थितेरुभयोराद्यमध्ययोरवस्थयोरपि नित्यत्वम् इष्यते आर्हतैस्तस्माच्च सर्वत्राविशेषः स्यादित्यर्थः । स्थूलशरीरे सूक्ष्मशरीरे बद्धावस्थायां मोक्षावस्थायां च नित्यनियतपरिमाण आत्मा स्यात्, शरीरपरिमाणप्रतिज्ञा बालभाषिता स्यात् । V.K., II.II.36).
Nimbārka rejects Jaina's view of the size of the soul on these above mentioned ground and upholds the atomic size of the soul. The jiva (soul) is atomic in size (जीवोऽणुः- V.P.S., II.III. 19). The knowledge is both essence and the attribute of the soul. The Jiva is extremely minute and is a minute as the hundredth part of the extremity of a hair, when divided into hundred parts (एषोऽणुरात्मा, "बालाग्रशतभागस्य शतधा कल्पितस्य च, भागो जीव" इति स्वशब्दोन्मानाभ्यां जीवोऽणुः । (V.P.S., II.III.22).
The individual soul is atomic in size because of its action of going to another world (V.P.S., II.II.19-22). It is atomic in size in bondage as well as in the state of liberation (V.K., IV.IV.15). Its seat is in the heart. Although, this atomic Jiva occupies only a small point in the body, it spreads all over the body by means of its knowledge or consciousness, which is its attribute, just as the light of a lamp placed in the interior of a