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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
94
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
For Private And Personal
Atman and Mokşa
it seems that the individual, as if, remains a separate and independent person, even in emancipation to receive the reward of his knowledge and that the individual does not seek knowledge for its own sake but seeks for the acquirement of immortality. Therefore, Keith does not seem to be justified in holding that immortality is sought by the individual as a reward of the knowledge of the Brahman. In fact knowledge means the experience of oneness with the Brahman. Keith further seems to refuse to accept the contention of 'supermoralism' of Upanisads as described by Ranade. Keith writes regarding it "The emancipated Self possesses autonomy, but it is not an ethical state; it is merely a condition of unhindered power, the ideal of a despot, the state of the man who goes up and down these worlds, eating what he desires, assuming what form he desires "1 This interpretation, given by Keith, seems just against the spirit of the Upanisads. The emancipated soul, no doubt, is not bound by the good and bad; but that is because he transcends them; because he goes beyond them and occupies a higher and superior position. The emancipated soul becomes completely free from the desires, it is a state of utter desirelessness and therefore it would never be possible that the emancipated soul would entertain any lowly desire and enjoy it. Even though in that state the soul possesses 'unhindered power', it does not mean that that power would be utilised for the low
1 Ibid. p. 587.
