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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
756
Atman and Mokşa
sentient, infinite in number, all-pervading, the agent of actions and the reaper of their consequences, capable of expansion and contraction. It can be besmeared with Karmic matter, revolves on the wheel of birth and death, and it is possessed of infinite knowledge, infinite power, and infinite bliss in its pure form. The Nyāya Vais'esika systems believe that Ātman is the substratum of the states of consciousness and it is a substance, all-pervading, immortal, and infinite in number. Ātman is the same as the Purusa in the Samkhya System. It is pure consciousness, the principle of subjectivity, devoid of any attribute, immutable, eternal, and infinite in number. The Yoga system admits the concept of the SāṁkhyaPuruşa, but it believes also in the Supreme Self (Paramātman), the Self having perfect knowledge, perfect power, and perfect bliss. Both believe that the Atman is self-illumined. The Pūrva Mimamsakas believe that the soul is immortal, doer of actions and reaper of their fruits; it is jada (insentient), according to the Prabhākaras, while it possesses potency of knowledge, according to Kumārila Bhatta; it is not self-illumined and is known by inference. The souls are all-pervading and infinite in number. Advaita Vedānta of S'askara holds that Ātman is the ultimate principle of consciousness. It is intelligence, pure, eternal, and free and is described as the Saccidananda. It is devoid of attributes and is selfillumined. It is the same as the Brahman itself. It is one for all and is the self of all. The plurality of individual souls (jivas) is illusory. The Visistādvaita
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