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the world and Brahman.40 Even scriptures cannot be regarded as the essence of the Absolute, because, essence and possessor of essence must be numerically different. 41 Another important thing is that, as far as these Vedantic texts are concerned, Advaitin's interpretations are not to be accepted as final word. This is because there are other possible interpretations which are in harmony with dualism or pluralism as interpreted in Višeşāvas yakabhāşya. “2
If Absolute Brahman is self proved, then there is no harm in accepting duality or plurality or voidity as self-proved truth. Self intuition cannt be considered as proof for the existence of non-dual Brahman, because, there is again an inevitable dualism between the proof (i.e., self-intuition) and the object of proof (i.e., Brahman). If self.intultion is identified with the Absolute, then it cannot be considered as a proof for the existence of Brahman.43 It is self-contradictory to say that self-evident pure consciousness is the contradictor of our normal cognition of plurality, because, it means, again admission of duality of the contradicted and the contradictor.44
Even on the religious ground, the doctrine of non-dual Brahman cannot be accepted, because it means denial of distinctions between good and bad deeds, pain and pleasure, this world and the world hereafter, knowledge and ignorance, bondage and liberation. Thus, if this doctrine is accepted then the consequence is destruction of the moral fabric of human life. 45
If it is said that, Brahman is the only Reality and on account of māyā or avidyā, this apparent world exists, then again it is impossible to prove, either the existence on māya or mithyātva (illusory nature) of the world by any means of valid knowledge.46 The fundamental objection against Advaitin's is, whether the doctrine of māyā (cosmic illusion) adopted to explain the multiplicity of the phenomental world
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41 42 43 44 45
(a) S.M., p. 83. (b) S.S.P., p. 5. S.S.P., p. 6. V.A.B., gatha 2036-2045. A.S., 161. A.S., p. 158. (a) A.M., 25. (b) A.S., p. 159. A.S., pp. 161-163.
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