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Reals in the Jaina Metaphysics fication of matter, the Buddhists deny the real existence of the Soul. They contend that a sensation comes into existence every moment and it perishes immediately after it; there is no permanent persistent reality underlying the series of momentary sensations. The sensation of one moment perishes leaving a tendency or trace (Saṁskāra) and is in this way the cause of the sensation of the next moment. This sensation of the next moment which is thus an effect is again the cause of the sensation of the following moment. These sensations although different and separate from each other are linked together in a chain, as it were, through the law of Causality. For this reason the momentary sensations following one another are conceived as a stream of consciousness and the Buddhist philosophers call this stream “the Series of Sensations” (Vijñāna-Santāna). According to them, there is no necessity of admitting the Atmā, or the Soul, besides this stream of consciousness, this series. of sensations. There are many philosophers e.g. Hume, Mill etc. in modern times, who like the Buddhists are the advocates of the sensationist theory, and who deny the real existence of the Soul. Their conception of "the flow" or "the continuum" of consciousness is very similar to the Buddhist conception of the "Series of Sensations”.
VEDĀNTA AND JAINA CRITICISM OF THE BUDDHIST SENSATION IST THEORY
The objection against the sensationist theory is that if there be not any persisting reality underlying the momentary sensations, these become disconnected with each other and the "stream” or “Santāna” becomes impossible. Without the soul as the principle of connection there cannot be. any link between a sensation and a sensation; and without this linking, Recollection and Conception are impossible and Self-consciousness or the Consciousness of the 'I referred to before, becomes inexplicable. For these reasons, the Vedānta philosophy in India has always criticised the Vijñāna-vāda of the Buddhists. The Jaina philosophers also have rejected the sensationist position of the Buddhists
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