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heritage of man. This amounts to the realisation of the transcendental self. The limited character of the individual self is disrupted and invaded by the Parama Ātman which the individual feels as his own.
According to the Kathopanişad, the Brahman or the Parama Purușa is the highest goal of the aspirant's journey, which, after being known by the mortal man, releases immortality, transcends the senses, the objects of senses, the mind, the intellect, the great self, and the unmanifest. 16 The same may be expressed by saying that the senses need be merged into mind, mind into the Jñāna-Ātman, Jñāna-Ātman into Mahat-Ātman and lastly, Mahat-Ātman into śānta-Ātman. Thus Sānta-Ātman which is equivalent to Parama-Puruşa or Brahman or Ātman is the terminus of all endeavours. 17 According to Jainism also, Param-ātman or Brahman is the highest object to be pursued. The aspirant should enquire into, long for, and strive after the eternal light of knowledge which is subversive of ignorance.18 The nature of Paramātman according to the Jainas and Upanişadic thinkers is similar to a great extent. Paramātman is eternal, without any flaw, is devoid of colour, smell, sound, taste, touch, is without birth, death etc.!' The Bhāvapāhuda tells us that the supreme self is devoid of taste, colour, smell, touch and sound; it is characterised by consciousness, not assignable by any mark and lastly indefinable as regards form.20
Here a word of caution is necessary. The words Paramātman and Brahman are synonymously used in the Jaina philosophical texts, but they should not be confused with the Upanisadic Brahman which is the cosmic prinicple. The Jaina gives credence to the existence of infinite Brahmans, i.e.,
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