Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 7

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

Page 42

The Concept of Mokşa in Jainism
31
summit of mundane space technically known as Siddhasila. This Siddhasila is the abode of the omniscient soul. Dr. Radhakrishnan writes: "So mokṣa is said to be eternal upward movement. On liberation the soul goes upward, because of the monentum due to its previous activity, the non-existence of the relation to the elements which kept it down, breaking of the bondage and its natural tendency to go upwards.""o The abode of omniscient souls is described as "slightly inclined (işat prāgbhāva), which is whiter than milk and pearls, more resplendent than gold and crystal, and has the shape of a divine umbrella."31 Assigning the reason for the abode of omniscient souls Dr. Ramji Singh points out that "this is a new conception. The Vedic conception regards Atman as all-pervasive. The Buddhists do not accept any such things as Aaman; hence they do not posit a locus of Moksa (Mokṣa-stana)....But the Jaina concept of Dharma and Adharma (medium of motion and rest), present in each object leads us to think there must be a fixed state where the motion must stop.
"82
We have seen that during the interval period between enlightment and actual liberation the aspirant is called kevalin (omnicient Victor Jina), but he becomes a Siddha (the Perfected) at actual liberation. Thus, it recognises two kinds of mokşa, bhava mokṣa (subjective liberation) and dravyamokṣa (objective liberation). The first is attained when the four Ghatiya karmus (destructive actions) are destroyed and the second is attained when all Aghatiya karmas (non-destructive action) are destroyed.83 The bhava-mokṣa of Kunda-kunda and kevalin of Umaswami are very similar to the concept of Jivan-mukti, as "At this stage", writes E. O. James, "it is only a matter or awaiting the final dissolution, a process that may be hastened by self training". But the concept of Jivan-mukti of Hinduism is logically sound and ontologically more perfect than the concept of Kevalin or bhava-mokṣa of Jainism. Dr. A. K. Iad therefore observes, "The Jivanamukta is completely enlightened-as enlightened as the Kevali of the Jainas,-nay in a sense he is more. soul of the Kevali is still to be dissociated from the non-destructive (aghātīya) actions which according to them constitute the cause of bondage but the Jivanamukta of vedanta has to exhaust only the Prarabdha karmas which themselves are not among the causes of bondage","
30.
31. Zinumer, H., op. cit., p. 258.
32.
Radhakrishnan, S., Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, p. 333.
33.
34.
35.
The Philosophical Quarterly, April 1963, Vol. XXXVI, No. I, pp. 65-66.
The
Rajavārtika, V. 16, 8-9.
James, E. O., Comparative Religion, p. 169.
Lad, A. K., The Concept of Liberation in Indian Philosophy, p. 84.