Outlines of Jainism

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

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OUTLINES OF JAINISM
that is a great feature of the soul in its pure condition. The peace and bliss are the twin goals aimed at by the soul. They cannot be everlasting, imless based on deep, detailed, and well-digested knowledge. Perception and conviction are conditions of perfect knowledge. Thus perception, knowledge, peace, and bliss are the great characteristics of soul. In combination they imply an enormous power in the fully evolved soul. Thus we come once more to the Infinite Quaternary (anantuchutushtaya) of Jainism. (Theology, p. 1 supra.)
The doctrine of soul is not in the Jaina view a mere matter of faith, it is a matter of observation and common-sense. If people shut their eyes to the noonday sun and go on asking: “Where is the sun, we can't see it. There is no sun," there is no remedy; they cannot see the light. By shutting one's eyes to facts, or explaining them away, if they oppose our pet theory or scepticism, we camot kill facts, although truth is shut out, in part or wholly. I try to make this clear, as Jainism camot be properly understood and followed, unless we believe in a soul and clearly realize our belief and analyse in details the meaning thereof.
Matter (Pudgulu) (11, 25-9) Wedded to the soul is the great lifeless substance of matter. Whereas the soul's qualities are life, consciousness, knowledge, perception, peace, bliss, and power, matter has for its characteristics lifelessness (6), touch, taste, smell, and colour (25).
The distinction of matter into atoms (anu) and moleeules (skandhu) has been known to Jainism for centuries.