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Omniscient Beings
point and, it seems to us, on the question of the nature of Omniscience in Souls which have attained it, the Jaina's differ from the other Indian schools. In most of the philosophical systems of India, other than the Jaina, Omniscience has not been attributed to a liberated Soul. It is ture that in the Vēdantic systems except that of the Advaita school, Omniscience has been attributed to a liberated Soul, But as we have already pointed out, Omniscience in such a Soul seems to be of a limited type, In the Yoga and other systems also, Omniscience has been attributed to Souls, about to attain the final liberation. But in the case of these Souls also. Omniscience seems to be limited. The Omniscience attributed to the liberated Souls by the Jaina's, on the contrary, is perfect, unrestricted and unlimited. It seems to us that the Omniscience, attributed to the liberated Souls by the Jaina's resembles that attributed to the Isvara by the Vēdio theistic sohools.
According to the Jaina's the Jiva's are Omniscient, by nature, Just as pure and clear water becomes muddy on being mixed with olay, in the same manner, the naturally Omniscient Jiva's wander in the Samsára in an inomniscient state of knowledge, being polluted by the dirt of Karma. As soon as the clay is removed, water resumes its olearness and purity; in the same way, the Jiva's also resume their pure state of Omniscience, when they succeed in removing the Karma - impurities from them by dint of self-culture and self-development, The liberation of a Jiva means its liberation from the influence of Karma. In the liberated state of a Soul, all Karma-forces covering pure knowledge and Omniscience are absolutely set aside. Accordingly, . Moksa' or liberation has been described as,---
“Samastavaraņa-Ksayapekşam ”
2, 23, Pramāņa-naya-tattvalūkalamkara. i, e., dependent on a complete annihilation of all (the Karma's ) that cover (knowledge ); Kēvala-Jňāna arises in the Soul automatically as soon as these obstacles or Karma-coverings are removed from it. Kēvala-Jñana is Omniscience and as conceived by the Jaina's, it is not at all limited in any way“Nikbila-dravya-paryāya-Saksatkāri-Svarūpam Kēvala-Jňānam."
2-23, Pramāna-naya-tattvalókalamkára.
