Outlines of Jainism

Author(s): J L Jaini, F W Thomas
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

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OUTLINES OF JAINISM
that what is best for the former is also the best for the latter. It is something like the selfishness with which Goethe was charged. If every atom of humanity ---and man is no more than that-were so to live as to put forth the best that is in him, he would discharge his duty to mankind. Thus onr inquiry is limited to finding out the best ideal for the individual. There can be no doubt that in all ages and climes man has sought happiness and avoided pain and misery. “The greatest happiness of the greatest number" is only a practical paraphrase of the Jaina doctrine "absolute and eternal happiness for all living beings". So, in the highest ideal, happiness and virtue are identified. The Jaina god is the soul at its best, i.e. when, freed from all that is material, it has attained perfect knowledge, faith, power, and bliss.
Metaphysics In metaphysics man through different ages and stages of philosophy has observed the self and the non-self, and has always tried to apotheosize the one or the other, or to strike a sort of compromise between the two. He las formulated either one substance, like the Brahma of the Vedantist or the matter of the materialist, or else many substances like the Sānkhya, or else two substances. Jainism takes its stand upon a common sense basis, which can be verified by everyone for himself. Jaina metaphysics divides the Universe into two everlasting, uncreated, coexisting, but independent categories the soul (jīva), the nonsoul ajīva or non-jīvu). Logically it is a perfect