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The Impact of Nyāya and Vaiśeşika School on Jaina Philosophy
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The history of Jaina philosophy extends over a long period of 2600 years. The concepts of Jaina metaphysics and epistemology can be traced as early as the history of Jainism begins. Not only Mahāvīra (6" cent. BC) but the tradition of his predecessor Lord Pārsvanatha (8th cent. BC) also bears clear marks of the fundamental concepts of Jaina philosophy. Tradition reckons twenty-three prophets as having preceded to Mahāvīra, which takes us back to fabulous antiquity of the tradition. Pārsvanatha, born at Varanasi was the 23rd Tirthankara. Thus, historically Jaina philosophy existed long before the emergence of Nyaya-Vaiseṣika schools of Indian Philosophy. Due to the earlier emergence of Jaina philosophy, we do not find any impact of Nyaya-Vaiseṣika school on the fundamental concepts of Jaina metaphysics and epistemology, such as Pañcāstikāyavāda, nine categories (Nava-tattva), six kinds of living beings (Ṣaḍjīvanikāya) including five kinds of knowledge (Pañcajñāna). On these earlier concepts we can trace some impacts of earlier Upaniṣads, early Buddhism as well as other contemporary Śramanic traditions. Generally, Jainism and Buddhism are regarded as the schools emerged against the sanctity of Vedic lore and oppressive priest craft. But this is not true as both of the traditions have their independent origin. Though, independent of Buddhism, Jainism resembles it in several respects, e.g. in its repudiation of the authority of Veda, its pessimistic outlook on life and its refusal to believe in Supreme God. Being sister religions of the same Śramanic tradition, both have various philosophical, religious and ethical concepts as common. Both of the philosophical schools, being based more or less on the same theory of Vibhajyavāda,
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