Book Title: Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism
Author(s): S C Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

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Page 239
________________ The Jaina Theory of Liberation and the Non-absolute :: 235 aim at cuting off all the relations between the soul and the karmas and the body. The soul is supposed to have no connection with what is other then itself and is confined to its own identity. Again it is emphasized that “the soul neither does nor enjoys the karmas of various types. It simply knows the fruition of karmas, meritorious and demeritorious."1 When asked what the soul's identity is, Kundakunda replies that it is one unity indistinguishable even into its various faculties, and is perfectly confined to itself. In the above statements Kundakunda sees the soul as perfectly independent and goes to the extent of denying the auxiliary causation by which we are able to explain the mystery of the mind-body relation. Just as the conception of māya in Advaita Vedānta has been interpreted as a device to arouse the spirit of renunciation among the followers, in the same way it may be said that Kundakunda has also thought of a method in the form of the pure view-point to arouse an ethical awakening without which a devotee is not fit to advance on the path of the soul's development. This interpretation of the view point of Kundakunda savours inconsistency, “when one reads that “the vyavahāra viewpoint is false and the pure view point is true. A right believer invariably resorts to the true reality.” Rājamalla is also of opinion that the vyavahāra is false and gives us false preaching. This brings us to a consideration of the validity which is implied by the pure point of view. Validity of the Niscaya Naya It is strange to note that the niscaya naya or the realistic view-point does not appear in the metaphysical discussions. There the main nayas are the dravyārthika (substantial) and the pryayārthika (modal) ones. Umāsvāti enumerates seven nayas which have been described as the sub-divisions of the 1. Ibid., verse 348 2. Ibid., verse 13. 3. Rājamalla: Pañcādhyāyi, I, verse 628 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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