Schools and Sects in Jaina Literature

Author(s): Amulyachandra Sen
Publisher: Vishwa Bharati Calcutta

Page 27

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SCHOOLS AND SECTS IN JAINA LITERATURE
In Adda's discussions one man appears and says that he and his predecessor (whom we have already identified as an adherent of Brahmanism) follow very much the same law, that they stand firm in it, and shall do so in the time to come ; he says that he believes that virtue consists in good conduct and that knowledge is necessary for liberation, that with regard to the circle of births there is no difference between them, but that they assume an invisible, great, eternal, imperishable, and indestructible Soul who excels all other beings in every respect as the moon excels the stars. This is clearly the opinion of Vedānta, but Sīlāņka ascribes this view to Ekadandins, and refers to their ācārapradhānam silam uktam yamaniyamalakṣaṇam which suggests Patañjali's system of Yoga. It would appear from this that the Saivas, Ekadandins, and Vedāntins held in the early days closely allied views.
In the Parable of the Lotus-pool one of the teachers states his doctrines in the following way. All things have the Self for their cause and their object. They are produced by the Self, manifested by the Self, intimately connected with the Self, and are bound in the Self. As for instance a tumour or a feeling of disposition is generated in, grows with, is not separate from, but is bound up with the body, so all things have the Self for their cause. Just as an ant-hill or a tree or a lotus springs up, grows in, is not separate from but bound up in the earth, or just as a mass of water or a water-bubble is produced in water, grows in water, and is not separate from water, so all things have the Self for their cause."
In the above statements the word which has been put into the mouth of the speaker to mean the Self is purisa (puruṣa). But the same speaker has been described elsewhere as Tsarakāraniya (īśvarakāranika), one who holds Isvara the Supreme Soul as the cause of everything. We find thus that Iśvara and puruşa have been synonymously used in the same way as the Upanişads establish the identity of Brahman and the ātman.
(III) ATMASASTHA-VADA.
According to one school there are five elements and the soul is a sixth substance; the soul and the world of five elements are eternal ; these six substances do not perish either with or without a cause; the non
45 Süt.S. II.6.46-47. ** Sat.S. II.1.26.27.
67 Cf. Mundaka Up. II.1.9; Tait. Up. II vi, III.i; BỊhad. Up. II.1.20; (II.vii.8-23 i and Svetăś. Up. 1.6.
• Süt.S. II.1.25, 28.