________________
Practice of Brahmavihāra in Theravāda Buddhism
:
151
Freedom
In this context of all these features of consciousness and particularly its characteristic of negation, Sartre considers us to be far freer what we can ordinarily suppose: We choose ourselves; we choose what sort of world we shall inhabit. We choose our values. At times Sartre talks like a libertarian proclaiming opposition to universal determinism i.e. the view that all of our views, that all of our actions chosen are caused ultimately by events over which we have no control. But here Jainism does not advocate total freedom. But Acharya Mahaprajna says that of course karma have effect on our activities and determine the way of life we lead but still man is free to change the constitution of karma too.
From the point of view of an utilitarian like Mill, it is consequences themselves that matter, not whether they have come about as a result of someone's action. From Sartre's point of view (and in this respect he is like Kant) consequences, whether momcntous or trivial are inconsequential. What matters is whether we have acted freely, for only in actions defined as the free adoption of projects are we truly human beings. It is only when I make a world that I have being in the mode of the being called being-for itself. Otherwise I have being in the mode of being called the in itself for then I shall be behaving in accordance with given world instead of annihilating that given world in order to become self.
According to W.T. Jones “The trouble is that Sartre account of the for itself commits him to holding that freedom is an all or none affair”20 but according to Jainism and others it seem a matter of degree. Apart from these characteristics, in an article called “La transcendence de l'ego- Esquisse dans description phenomenologique.” Sartre analyzes in detail certain fundamental positions which though basic in the later work are there horridly sketched in or even presupposed. Most important is Sartre's rejection
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
