Jainism from the View Point of Vedantic Acaryas

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

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Śrī Śankarācārya's views on Jainism Presentation of Jainism
Śri Śankarācārya (788-820 A.D.) is one the outstanding philosophical personalities in the history of Indian thought. He is the chief exponent of Advaita Philosophy (non-dualism). He was familiar with main principles of Jainism. His presentation of Jainism as Purvapaksa (prior view) in Brahmasūtrabhāsya is very authentic. His criticism of Syādvāda may not be acceptable to many. He presents Jainism in the following way : The Jainas admit seven categories viz., the soul (jiva); non-soul (ajiva); inflow of Karma (āsrava), stoppage of inflow of Karma (samvara); annihilation of accumulated Karma (nirjarā), bondage of Karma (bandha) and liberation (moksa). In brief, they believe that, these can be broadly divided into two groups, the soul and the non-soul. Other categories can be included in these two only (FH a Tai Taterf: Hal: 312-37510आस्रवसंवरनिर्जर-बन्ध-मोक्षा नाम । संक्षेपतस्तु द्वौ एव पदार्थों जीव-अजीव310, 741 cura sarafara sfa plast Brahmasūtra Śārkarabhāsya = B.S.B., II.II.33). They describe these two categories (Soul and non-soul) in another way also. They call this division of categories by the word astikāya (i.e. a category which occupies space). There are five astikāyas (categories) viz., the category of soul (jivāstikāya), the category of Pudgala (body)- combination of atoms, (pudgalāstikāya), the category of principle of motion (dharmāstikāya), the category of prin