Jainism from the View Point of Vedantic Acaryas

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

Page 35

Jainism from the view point of Vedantic Acāryas
room spreads in all the corners of the room ( जीवगुणादेव, कोष्ठे दीपालोकादिवत् । V.P.S., II. III. 25). It experiences the various sensations of pleasure and pain of the entire body through its all pervasive quality of consciousness, just as the sandal-paste gives delight to the whole body though applied to one part of the body (देहैकदेशस्थोऽपि कृत्स्नं देहं चन्दनबिन्दुर्यथाऽऽल्हादयति तथा जीवोऽपि प्रकाशयति, अतः कृत्स्नशरीरे सुखाद्यनुभवो न विरुध्यते । V.P.S., II. III. 23).
24
Nimbārka also criticises the view of all-pervasive (Vibhu) nature of the soul. He seems to be unaware of the view of Śankara. He says that the doctrine of all-pervasive size of the soul is upheld by the Kapila and others which is delusory (ābhāsa) and is to be rejected. (परेषां कपिलादीनां व्यतिकरप्रसङ्गात्सर्वगतात्मवादाश्च आभासा ga | V.P.S., II.III.49). Śrīnivāsa while commenting on this sūtra, states that it is a view of Kapila an Kaṇāda (कपिलकणादादीनां सर्वगतात्मवादास्तु आभासा एव । V. K., II. III.49). According to Nimbārka, the view of the all-pervasive nature of the soul, contradicts Śruti (Scripture) which talks about the soul going out of the body (utkrānti), its travelling to the higher world like world of moon etc. (gati). Such kind of movement is not at all possible in all-pervading Jīva. Again, if jīva is all-pervasive, then there will be either eternal contact with all objects. In the first case, there will be eternal perception of all objects and the later case, there will be eternal non-perception of all objects. Since there is no third principle outside of all-pervasive soul to bring about the contact. As a result, there will be the consequence