Jainism from the View Point of Vedantic Acaryas

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

Page 56

Śri Rāmānujācarya and Jainism
45 Jaina may argue that learned Brāhmins say that Brahman is one and is alone, ātman of all. He is one and many. It is said like that, Rāmānuja argues, because, Brahman is one. He is omniscient, omnipresent, all-powerful with all desired fulfilled and sentient (cit) and non-sentient (acit) constitute His body. We accept only one Brahman as the ultimate truth. But, the Jainas accept six different substances as the real entities and hence, they cannot properly account for oneness (ekatva) as well as manyness (anekatva) etc., in one place, because substance lack identity with one another. (कथं पुनरेकमेव ब्रह्म सर्वात्मकमिति श्रोत्रियैरुच्यते ? सर्वचेतनाचेतनशरीरत्वात्सर्वज्ञस्य सर्वशक्तेः सत्यसंकल्पस्य पुरुषोत्तमस्य, इत्युक्तम् । préterefiunt: Massfori alimentariu 404664 I (Śrībhāșya, II.II.31).
Moreover six substances such as Jiva and ajīva are not modifications of one single substance. It is very difficult to propound in their case being one or being many etc., owing to the substance being one and owing to its being constituted of modes. (किञ्च जीवादीनां षण्णां द्रव्याणामेकद्रव्यपर्यायत्वाभावात्तेषु द्रव्यैकत्वेन पर्यायात्मना चैकत्वानेकत्वादयो 54994141: 1 (Śrībhāşya, II.II.31).
If it is argued that, these six substances would become like that i.e. one and many, by their own modes and by their respective natures, the reply is, even thus there would be contradiction with Anekāntavāda, i.e. everything is many-sided, on account of the absence of mutual identity. (378113ia asal Golfo 50014: pra: स्वेन चात्मना तथा भवन्ति, इति । एवमपि सर्वमनैकान्तिकम् इति 3724 TARTET:, 3RTRAGIKAAaa I (Śrībhāsya, II.II.31).