________________
Chapter - 3
Samayusāra types of perversities viz., perverse world-view (mithyā darśana), perverse knowledge (mithyā jñāna) and perverse conduct (mithyā cūritra). Non-abstinence is the practical form of perverse conduct and is the function of cūritramoha karma. The worldly existence is due to the joint working of these three. Delusion has no beginning in time. Why is a soul afflicted with, it is a question too difficult to answer or rather it is too much to ask, because it is a question of fact and not of reason. And because it is coeval with the soul it cannot be set down to an adventitious condition which is the usual way of solving problems. In one way, the question is as absurd as the question "Why should the soul exist”? The existence of the self is an ultimate fact, and the existence of delusion, coeval with it, is equally an ultimate fact to which no question of origination can be relevant. The delusion is there and it is not that we do not know its nature. Its nature and functions are well known. We also know its conditions. We do not know the beginning because it has no beginning. -
Perverse view or wrong world-view vitiates the whole outlook, and consequently whatever knowledge and conduct there is, becomes vitiated (mithyā). In other words, the perversity of knowledge and conduct depends upon the perversity of world-view. The perverse world-view (mithyā darśana) defiles, as it were, the very fibre of the soul and it is but natural that all the psychical functions should be defiled. Conversely purification of the worldview (darśana), therefore, is regarded as the sine quâ non of the purification of the knowledge and conduct. It should be borne in mind that the term 'ajñāna' here does not mean 'ignorance' or
lack of knowledge' but “perverted knowledge' (mithyā jñāna). Even as the knowledge of a mad man is necessarily ajnana, although by chance it hits sometimes upon the truth, exactly so the knowledge of one whose soul is vitiated by inithyā darśana (perverse worldview) is of necessity ajñāna in spite of its empirical validity by accident.!
Perverted Knowledge and Right Knowledge
एदेसु य उवओगो तिविहो सुद्धो णिरंजणो भावो।
जं सो करेदि भावं उवओगो तस्स सो कत्ता ॥२२॥ 1. Tattvärtha Sūtra Bhāsya, 1.33
- 82 :For Private & Personal Use Only
Jain Education International
www.jainelibrary.org
