Studies in Jainism

Author(s): M P Marathe, Meena A Kelkar, P P Gokhle
Publisher: Indian Philosophical Quarterly Publication Puna

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STUDIES IN JAINISM
various stages of spirituality and omniscience is attained in the last stage.
The classification of the transcendental spirit into external (Bahirātman), internal (antarātman) and absolute (Paramäntman) indicate the three stages of the progress of soul. The Bahirātman represents the materialistic view of self; the internal soul is of the nature of knowledge and well-established in perfect tranquility. This internal self is further sub-divided into the types—superior, inferior and in between the two. However, the Parmātman is the super-spirit which exists in knowledge. It has been classified into spirit (Arhat) and super-spirit (sedoha). The spirit becomes the super-spirit when it knows itself, exists in knowledge, and is free from Karmas. When the Atman is known everything is known. This sounds like Upanisadic idealism “one who knows the self knows everything." However, the subject matter of perfect knowledge according to the upanisads and the Jainas is different because of different metaphysical stand-points. In fact, soul is the very embodiment of knowledge, so, when one knows the soul one knows everything.
Omniscience being an innate potential property of the soul, the fact of its being the ground of omniscience is also thereby established. But there are arguments based on perception (pratyakșa), inference (anumāna), analogy (upamāna), scriptural authority (Āgamas), circumstantial implication (arthāpatti) and non-cognition (abhāva) for the existence of soul. However these classical proofs may be regarded as indirect proofs to omniscience since soul is the substratum of omniscience. To the Jainas, the soul and consciousness are inseparable. In fact knowledge without self or self without knowledge is inconceivable. Omniscience is not perfection of knowledge but also of happiness and bliss. The inseparability of soul and consciousness follows from the fact that the soul is the substance and consciousness is the attribute. This means that they are not externally related. Their inseparability follows from the very definition of substance as possessed of attributes and modifications and also that attributes depend upon substance because they can exist only as residing in substances. Soul as 'the substratum of consciousness is the basis of knowledge. When the soul is in the pure state, omniscience is inevitable. We miay question about the achievability of the ideal but we have to