Book Title: tman_and_moksa
Author(s): G N Joshi
Publisher: Gujarat University

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Page 857
________________ Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra www.kobatirth.org Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir Conclusion 825 worldly life (sausāra). The Nirvāṇa of the Hinayāna Buddhists is an experience of utter void and extinction and of the cessation of the states of consciousness. The Nyāya-Vais'esika and Pūrva Mīmāṁsā systems look upon Moksa as one which is free from pain, pleasure, and all the states of consciousness. Moksa appears in a positive form in the Vedas, Upanişads, Jainism, Advaita Vedānta and in the philosophies of R mānuja, Nimbārka, Madhva, Vallabha, the Slaivas and s'āktas and the Vaisnava Saints. According to Jainism, the Atman enjoys infinite knowledge, infinite bliss, and infinite power in Mokşa. According to the Vaişņava Ācāryas, Saints, and the S'aivas, it means the enjoyment of the Divine joy, omniscience, infinitude, and of other godly powers except the two powers of God, i.e., the power of creation and governance of the world. It means for them the experience of the supersensuous joy in a mystical union with God. For S'awkara, Moksa is a positive experience of infinite and eternal freedom and perfect bliss. Moksa means the attainment of immortality, infinitude, and perfect bliss, according to the Upanisads. The Vedic concept of Moksa is less refined than the Vaisnava Moksa as it implies material gains. S'aakara's idea of Moksa is the most evolved and the highest. It means an experience of identity with the whole Reality. The Sārakhya and Yoga ideal of 'Isolation' (Kaivalya) is rather negative than positive in meaning. (2) Change in the Means of the Attainment of Moksa There is a general change from the Vedic Ritualism to jñāna (knowledge) and Bhakti (devotion). For Private And Personal

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