Jinamanjari 1996 09 No 14

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 12

Jaina context. The meaning of this word also seems to be very important in two ways; first, the Jainas maintain that their final aim is to achieve the state of spiritual freedom --an idea which is a concern of the highest beatitude -- and second, its importantance is expressed as a counter-point to the other Indian atheistic school, the Mahāyāna Buddhists. In this paper we will outline of the concept of bhavya according to the approach of the Jaina philosophers.
The concept of bhavya and its counterpart abhavyatva were late development in the history of Jaina thought. These words do not appear in the old Agamas, but are frequently used in the latter works which belong to a later period.2 Moreover, in the Agama texts the Jainas emphasize only the possibility that we can liberate ourselves from spiritual bondage, and do not refer to the non-possibility of liberation.
We have two main sources to consider this concept; the first is Umasvāti's Tattvārtha Sūtra (here onwards abbr. as TS) and its many commentaries, and the other is Kundakunda's aggregation of works and commentaries. Other texts also are useful for this topic. For example, there are some verses concerning bhavya in Dr. P.S. Jaini's translation of the Višeşāvaśyakabāșa and commentary. From an epistemological point of view, Aptamīmāṁsā (abbr. AM) is also important in understanding this concept. We will study relevant sections of AM with commentaries. 4
Bhavya and Abhavya in Kundakunda
Kundakunda can be said to be the first Jaina author that referred to the concepts of bhavya and abhavya.He describes bhavya and abhavya as follows; abhavya is such person who does not believe that the happiness of those who have destroyed ghatiyakarma is the best even after they heard it, while bhavya desires that (such highest happiness). Here the persons who have no ghatiyakarmas is meant as a liberated soul or, more specifially, the Jaina tīrthaņkaras.? So the