Book Title: Reals on the Jaina Metaphysics
Author(s): Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: Shatnidas Khetsy Charitable Trust Mumbai

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Page 249
________________ 234 Reals in the Jaina Metaphysics SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE ELEMENTS IN CONSCIOUSNESS Mind: It may be admitted that all experience is ‘internal in the sense that it constitutes a part of an individual's conscious existence. On the other hand, all conscious experience has something for its object which is, at least for the purpose of its objectivity, somewhat distinct in existence from the individual's consciousness; in this respect all experience is "external'. The distinction between the internal and the external experiences thus appears to break down. Yet the distinction has been recognised from very ancient times and is even now wide spread and persistently maintained. And it is not wholly unjustifiable. Our perception of a chair is essentially different from our recognition of a chair as one previously perceived or our feeling of joy at the sight of the chair. In the former case, our experience refers to the object which has an existence and intrinsic nature of its own, outside and independent of us. It is our peripheral sense-organs that in most cases come in contact with this object which is external to us and the experience of which is thus in a very real sense, external. “External experiences”, as Professor Stout points out, “are experiences which have for their object whatever is taken to be distinct in existence from the stream of individual consciousness or any part of it”. In the case of our feelings and emotions, of recognitions and reasoning, our experiences are entirely different. Our feelings of joy or sorrow are purely subjective and so are the processes of reasoning and recognition, if 'TEFEUIFT FOT" F# farglfe ------ TEHTHTT-37194TUE श्लो-१६६ as the author of Gommata Sāra says. Thus although the Jaina's contend, 'ईसन्ति एक्कमेक इन्दा इव इन्द्रियेजाण'। गोम्मटसार-जीवकाण्ड श्लो-१६३ 'In the upper regions just as one Indra is completely separate from and independent of another Indra, each of the five sense-organs is to be known as distinct from the other, the doctrine of the fundamental and primary character of the organ of touch seems to be somewhat hinted at in their own theory about the simplest onesensed animal being possessed of the sense of touch. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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