Outlines of Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Jain Mission Society Bangalore

Page 35

CONCEPTION OF REALITY indescribable by the categories of thought. It can only be realised by intuition where there is no dualism of the subject and the object, the knower and the known. The subject-object-dualism is ultimately reduced to pure consciousness which is nothing but bliss. Our intellect cannot grasp the Ultimate Reality because it is Absolute and Infinite, while our intellect is limited and finite. We cannot know Brahman but we can become Brahman. He who knows Brahman, becomes Brahman,'1 The appearance of the external world and of the individual souls is due to ignorance or nescience (avidyā). At the time of the realisation of the Self it automatically disappears.
Idealism, as we have seen, emphasises the existence of spiritual, mental or intellectual reality. Some of the idealists say that the Ultimate Reality is nothing but Universal Spirit. Some are of the opinion that the Ultimate Reality is Universal Idea or Intellect. Others lay emphasis on the Subjective Conception. Any how, the idealists do not believe in an external existence or a material reality independent of spirit, consciousness, intellect, or idea. It does not matter much whether they believe in the Universal Intellect or in the Individual Mind.
REALISM The general conception of Realism is that whatever is, is real in the sense that it exists and functions independently of any mind and its interference whatsoever. The mind may or may not be present there. Its existence is quite indifferent to the Real. Realism seems to represent the most primitive and natural tendency of thought to which what is outside, is first to appeal. It takes the clear and distinct view of Reality as it appears. In Western Philosophy, as we find, the first Greek philosophers were realists making either water or air or fire to be the Ultimate Principle of the world existing independently of the mind, and the world with all its complex contents was supposed to owe its origin and growth to this Principle. ARGUMENTS FOR PHYSICAL EXISTENCE
When the Realist says that there is an existence of physical objects independent of intellect or idea, can he give any arguments to prove his statement ? Can he give any reasons why we should
1 Brahma vid brahma eta bhai'ati