Spiritual Enlightenment

Author(s): Yogindu Deva, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Radiant Publishers

Page 49

Paramatma Prakash Commentary
35
his individuality. The Upanishadic Brahman is a cosmic principle, which idea is not associated with the Jaina conception of Paramatman. Brahman is one and one only according to Upanishads, Joindu, however, speaks of many Brahmans, i.e., Paramatmans, which represent a type and therefore should not be distinguished from each other (II. 99). According to Jainism, Paramatman has nothing to do with the world beyond that he knows and sees it, because it is his nature to see and to know; while Brahman according to the Upanishads is the very source and support of everything else. Though many attributes are common between Upanishadic Brahman and Jaina Paramatman their implications often differ. The word "Svayambhu", for instance, means self-created and selfexistent in the case of Brahman, but in the case of Paramatman it means self-become, i.e. the Atman has become Paramatman.
How Yogindu proposes unity: In spite of the above difference Joindu speaks just almost in the Upanishadic tone, of the identity between Paramatmans by appealing to aspirants not to distinguish one Paramatman from the other, because they form a type. Upanishadic identity is of an uncompromising type, but Joindu's identity is only in name. But when Joindu speaks of the identity between Atman and Paramatman he is fully justified, because according to Jainism Atman is Paramatman. Paramatman was called Atman only because of Karmic limitations. It is by realizing this essential likeness of all the Atmans that Jainism has faithfully stood as a champion of Ahimsa, Harmlessness, universal compassion in thought, word and deed. In this context the Jainas like the Samkhyas are Satkaryavadins accepting that the effect is potentially present in the material cause. Upanishadic Brahman has a monistic and pantheistic grandeur which we miss in the Jaina conception of Paramatman. Jainism looks at the world analytically, and Atman, moving along with the path of penance and meditation, evolves into Paramatman, where the race of the round-of-rebirths comes to a full stop; while