Schools and Sects in Jaina Literature

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

Page 28

SCHOOLS AND SECTS IN JAINA LITERATURE
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existent does not come into existence, and all things are eternal by their very nature. This is known as the “Doctrine of the soul as the sixth substance." Harşakula includes the Samkhyas and Vaiseșikas amongst its adherents, and Silāņka includes the Samkhyas and Saivādhikarins who accept the authority of the Vedas." Sīlāņka quotes many verses of the Bhagavad gitā to illustrate the philosophy of the indestructibility of the soul and the non-coming into existence of the non-existent. "If the nonexistent came into existence,” remarks Silāņka, "it would make the growth of a horn possible to an ass." This doctrine of the eternal existence of the soul and the five elements, viz., earth, water, fire, air, and sky is a criticism of the Buddhist view that things are changing every moment without any cause, and of the Vaiseșika view that things are destructible just as a pitcher is destroyed if struck with a staff. The reply of this school is that a thing is not destroyed either with or without a cause, a pitcher smashed with a staff exists, lives, and continues in the broken pieces, for out of that lump came its existence.
We have to compare in this connection the doctrine of Pakudha Kaccāyana stated in the Sāmaññaphala Sutta (Digha, II, p. 56). Pakudha held that seven things, viz., earth, water, fire, air, ease, pain, and the soul are neither made nor commanded to be made, are not created and are of a permanent existence. There is nothing called slayer or the slain. When one with a sharp sword cleaves a head in twain no one thereby deprives another of life, a sword has only penetrated into the interval between seven elementary substances.
(IV) TAJJIVATACCHARIRA-VADA. The five gross elements are the original causes of things and from them arises another thing, viz., the soul. This is another philosophy well-known to the Jainas. The soul is a product of the elements and has no independent existence of its own. On the dissolution of the body of five elements a living being ceases to exist and nothing is left over." Everybody, fool or sage, has an individual jīva 'soul.' These souls exist as long as the body, but after death they are no more, there are no souls which are born again.
There is neither virtue nor vice, there is no world beyond, and on the dissolution of the body the individual ceases to be.?2
" Süt.s. L.i.li 16-16. * In the Säinkhya system there are other elements besides these five.
11 Süt.S. 1.1.1.8. Jacobi has linked this verse with the following one. This is not justified, for the latter refers to Vedānta.
* Sút S. 11.12,