Book Title: Path of Arhat
Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Sohanlal Smarak Parshwanath Shodhpitha Varanasi

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 98
________________ Fact of the Matter [ 73 aspiring self is to dissociate itself from the company of Pudgala and thus to gain its real luster and form. This Jaina realism is quite distinct from the Sankara Vedánta considering Pudgala as 'Maya', an illusion. The root ‘Ma' in Sanskrta means 'to form' and it is believed that the word 'Magic' is derived from this root. So 'Maya' means a formation which is not real. Sāükhya philosophers think greatly in lines with Jainas. According to them, the universe is made of two elements--- -Puruşa', the Atman and 'Prakrti', the matter. According to Sankhyas, however, Puruşa, the Ätman, remains Kūļastha', i e., at the su nmit, isolated, and does not participate in any way in human pains, passions and feelings, though it 'appears to be involved in life because of apparent association with conditioning attributes of 'Prakrti' ( matter ) which manifests itself in three aspects ( Guņas ), namely Satva, Rajas and Tamas ( good, active and dark ). (2) Dharma - Here the word Dharma is not used in its popular sense that is religion. Dharma here means the principle of motion. It is a necessary condition and medium of motion. Conscious objects and other matters have their own motion but the medium through which they gain their motion is called Dharma. For example fish has its own motion but that motion is possible only through the medium of water. This medium which makes the motion possible, is Dharma. It is said that the nature of every object is its Dharma'Dhammo Vatthu Sabavo'l. Word 'Sahāvo' means "Svabhava', i, C., one's own nature. Every object expresses itself and moves in the universe and progresses through the medium of its own nature. This medium itself is unconscious and is therefore Ajiva. In application of this theory to Atman (soul ), it is important to note that so long as the soul moves through the medium of its 'own nature' (Sva-bhava ) it is moving in Dharma. 'Sva-bhā 12 of soul is its own consciousness. But when the soul is smeared by Kaşayas, i. e., passions 1. 'JFAT Denarat, Svamikumăra : Kartikeyan upreksä, V.478. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262