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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
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Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
Atman and Mokga
The quality of being the 'knower' belongs only to the finite individual souls and not to the Supreme Self. Knowership cannot be attributed to it since it belongs to ahamṁkāra which itself is non-intelligent, being an effect of Prakṛti, and itself an object of knowledge.' The ahamkara or the principle of egoity is a separative principle of the many individual souls and with help of it they distinguish themselves from each other. It is due to their finitude and particular nature. The knowledge of the jivas is limited when they are in samsara under bondage. The idea of 'I' also is present only when the jīva is in the waking state (); it is not present during deep sleep and swoon; therefore, it cannot be attributed to the Supreme Self or Is'vara; for, Is'vara persists in the form of His consciousness in all the times and for eternity remains immutable. The Supreme Self reveals the objects by its luminosity; that element of luminosity which is present in the form of the soul reveals the things in knowledge to it; the jiva appropriates the experiences and objects as its own with its association with the ahamkara, which is a mode of Prakṛti. The egoity, the distinguishing feature of the jiva is its essential characteristic and it is never lost; it persists in it even during the state of liberation (f). The individual soul is not lost or absorbed in the Supreme Self but it maintains its sense of 'I' who achieves liberation. Bheda (distinction) being eternal cannot be lost and therefore, the
1 Rāmānuja - Com. on Vedanta Sutras. Tr. Thibaut, 1.1.1, p. 63.
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