Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 25

REFUTATION OF ADVAITA VEDANTA IN MAJOR JAINA WORKS
History of Indian philosophy tells us that all the systems of Indian Philosopby developed in the atmosphere of freedom of thought. There was a tradition in Indian philosophical platform to present opponent's view first known as the pūrvapakşa (prior view) and then establishment of one's own view by refuting opponent's stand point known as the Uttarapaksa or Siddhanta (conclusion). This kind of method inspired the Indian thinkers to study thoroughly views of all others prior to the establisbment of their own system of philosophy and gave thoroughness, perfection and catbolic spirit to their system. Jaina philosophers also following the same brod. minded tradition, presented views of all the systems of Indian thought with considerable care and establisbed their own principles refuting opponept's view with logical rigour, But it is very interesting to note that just as great thinkers of otber schools of thought such as Bhartshari, 1 Kumārilabbatta, 3 Prabhākara, 3 Jayantabhatta4 and Udayana, who treated only Advaita as the Vedanta system, similarly eminent pbilosophical per sonalities of Jainism presented and refuted only Advaita system of Vedanta in their writings. Even later writers who flourished after Rāmā. nuja and Madhva mention Deither Vikistadvaita nor Dvaita system, of Vedanta.
1 “Yatra drasta ca dr syam ca darsanam cāvikalpanam. Tasyaivarthasya satyatvamahust
rayyanta vedinah" Vakyapadiya-ed ; J. M. Shukla; Pub. L. D. Institute of Indology,
Ahmedabad-1984. 2 "Dvaitapak şāt parānudya budhyasuddhisamasrayāt. Paramätmänamevaikam tattvam
tattvavido viduħu"-Brhatika, quoted in Vedantadarsanam' (R. P.), Pt. S. Subrahmanya Sastri, Pub. Varanasiya Sanskrit Visvavidyalaya, 1967. 3 "Yastu Brahmavādināmeşa niscayo yadupalabhyate na fat fathyam, yannopalabhyate
tattathyamiti namastebhyo"-Brhati, Part-I, Pub. University of Madras, 1934, p. 239. 4 "Atra tāvat vedāntina āhuh....nityasukhamātmano mahatvavadastityāgāmaprāmūnyada.
bhyupagamya tām. Tacca samsārādaśāyām avidyavaranavasena nanubha yate"
Nyāyamaħjari-II, Apavarga pariksa, Pub. Oriental Institute, Mysore, 1983. p. 431-2, 5 "Suddhabuddhasvabhāva ityaupanişadan"-Nyaya KusumaAjali-1, Pub, Chowkhamba
Sanskrit Series, Benares, 1912, P, 4-5.