What is Jainism

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Champat Rai Jain

Page 39

JAINA DOCTRINE
the world-famous theory of the Syadvada. There is not time enough to go into this subject at present, but I will merely mention that the basis of the Jaina VYAPTI (the basic force of a logical deduction) is a relationship, between different things, that is unalterable, fixed and unvarying, as for instance that between youth and old age, the latter always following the former, and never otherwise. When an inference is grounded upon such a rule it cannot but hold good for all men. This one rule if properly observed will lead an investigator to pure TRUTH in the shortest possible time, and it will be impossible to go astray while following it !
Turning to religion itself, the Jaina wants to know in the first instance why he should engage himself in the worship of any man or God or super-God ? He analyses his wants, and discovers that behind all forms of human cravings and longings and desires there is only an insatiable thirst for happiness. Happiness is what all living beings seek, and it is the aim of all their activity, whether instinctive or intellectual ! Further analysis reveals the fact that happiness is not possible for him who has constantly the fear of death gnawing at his heart, and also for him who is ignorant. In short we want immortality, all-embracing knowledge and uninterrupted Bliss, and will not be satisfied with anything less.
Now, Jainism discovers that the soul is by its very nature 1. a simple substance, as distinguished from a compound thing, 2. endowed with the capacity for infinite, all-embracing Know
ledge, and 3. blissful !
The short time at my disposal today will not admit of my enlarging on any of these essential potentialities of the soul-substance or to undertake their proof. It must therefore suffice for today that very strict logical proof is available to prove the Jaina claim in this respect, which any one who will read some of my own works on the subject will find out for himself. I must however draw your attention to the fact that Modern Experimental Psychology is generally coming round to the view that the soul is a simple substance and as such deathless and immortal! I will refer those who like to pursue the theme any further to McDougall's Physiological