Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 7

Author(s): Nand Kishor Prasad
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 34

THE CONCEPT OF MOKṢA IN JAINISM Dr. KUMAR ANAND*
Jainism is primarily an ethical system. It is mainly concerned with the ethical problem of removal of misery. But the problem of getting rid of miseries presupposes the existence of the soul and its bondage by the Karmas and hence the removal of Karmic limitation from the soul leads to liberation. Thus Jain Ethics is founded on the metaphysics. No doubt, in Jainism metaphysics is subservient to ethics, but both are the two sides of the same coin.
The gist of Jaina thought consists in showing as to how the soul gets involved in bondage by the Karmas and the achievement of liberation by making itself free from Karmic influence. Hiralal Jain sums up the Jaina philosophy: "The living and the non-living, by coming into contact with each other, forge certain energies which bring about birth, death, and various experiences of life; this process could be stopped, and the energies already forged destroyed, by a course of discipline leading to salvation. A close analysis of this brief statement shows that it involves seven propositions: Firstly, that there is something called the living; secondly, that there is something called the non-living; thirdly, that the two come into contact with each other; fourthly, that the contact leads to the production of some energies; fifthly, that the process of contact could be stopped; sixthly, that the existing energies could also be exhausted; and lastly, that salvation could be achieved."1 The analysis of the statement is based on the seven tattvas (categories or realities) of Jainisin viz. Jīva, Ajīva, Āśrava, bandha, samvara, nirjara and mokṣa.2 Out of seven tattvas Jiva and Ajiva are the primary entities from the metaphysical point of view and the rest five are mere corrolaries in the scheme of obtaining deliverance. Thus, Jaina classification of tattvas is the well planned scheme of getting liberation.
Jiva (Soul) and Ajiva (non-soul) are the two exhaustive fundamental categories of Jainism. This division resembles much with that of the division of Puruşa and Prakṛti of Samkhya. But this similarity is apparent. J. N. Sinha, therefore, observes: "The Samkhya dualism is more
*H. O. D., Ancient Indian History and Asian Studies, Pranab Chatterji Mahavidyalaya, Buxar.
1.
Jain, Hiralal, The Cultural Heritage of India, Vol. I, p. 403.
2. Jaini, J. L. (Ed. and Tr.), Tattvartha Sutra, I. 4.