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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
CIDATMA (ATMAN AS CIT) 6.2 The Indian philosophers have described the different levels of the self in its experiences starting from annamaya to ānandmaya. These may be considered as the sheaths of ātman. In all these discussions, the outer encrustations of the ātman have been described, but the real nature of the ātman has not been mentioned. The contemplations and the nature of these aspects of ātman have led the philosophers to the conclusion that these different sheaths of ātman are also to be considered as the stages or the states of the self ; for instance annamaya ātma is the bodily self. It is the instrument of experience. It is like the chariot. The charioteer who drives the chariot is that ātman. Without the atman, the bodily functions cannot exist. The body and the self are two different principles. According to the Praśna Upanişad, the prāņa is an expression of the ātman. It arises out of the ātman, as the shadow of the man is due to the man, because he is a physical being, so also prāņa depends on the ātman. Therefore, ātman and the prāņa have to be considered as two different entities although prāņa is an expression of the ātman.
Kenopanişads makes it clear that ātman is distinct from the sense-organs (indriyas) and the mind (manas). In the absence of the atman they cannot function. As the essence of vijñānātmā (intellect) is to be found in the ānandātmā (the bliss). The essence of ānandātmā (bliss) is in the antarātmā, and that is the Brahman. In this sense, the Brahman is the highest reality distinct from the vijñāna and änanda.
Brahman and the ātman are not different, they are identical.5 The names are only different. The Brahman is sometimes described as the highest reality and the Puruşa, and it is the ultimate essence (Güờhatma) of all that is in the universe. The Katha Upanişad considers Buddhi-vijñāna (intellect) as a product of prakrti and there.
1 (a) Maitreyi Up., 2, 3, 4.
(b) Katha Up., 1, 3, 3. 2 Praśnopanişad, 3, 3. 3 Kena Upanişad, 1, 4, 6. 4 Taittiriya Up., 2, 6. 5. Māndūkya Up., - Sarvam hi etadbrahma ayamātmā brahma, 6 Kasha Up., 1, 3, 10-12.
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