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Reals in the Jaina Metaphysics series is not only beginningless but endless also. The Jaina's on the contrary maintain that save and except the Abhavya Jiva's (described before) all souls are capable of attaining liberation. A soul, when liberated is possessed of Kevalajñāna, which is nothing other than omniscience.
Besides the disembodied perfect Beings who are completely free and are omniscient according to the Jaina's, as stated above, a highly developed being while in Body may attain omniscience also. The Tirthamkara's were such Beings who attained omniscience, while they lived, moved and had their Being still in this world. This Jaina doctrine of omniscience in a Being who is not yet disembodied, is obviously akin to the theories of the other Indian schools, according to which, omniscience is possible before final liberation.
OMNISCIENCE OF A LIBERATED SOUL RESEMBLES THE OMNISCIENCE OF IŚVARA
A liberated soul is omniscient according to the Jaina's. On this 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 true that in the Vedāntic systems except that of the Advaita school, omniscience has been attributed to a liberated soul. But as we have already pointed out, omniscience in these souls 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 liberated souls by the Jaina's resembles that attributed to the Iśvara by the Vedic theistic schools.
According to the Jaina's, the Jiva's are omniscient by nature. Just as pure and clear water becomes muddy on being mixed with clay, in the same manner, the naturally
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