Outlines of Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 011084
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Jain Mission Society Bangalore
Publication Year: 1954
Total Pages: 195
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 7 MB

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OUTLINES OF JAINA PHILOSOPHY
5. Ākāśāstikāya-Extensive, unconscious, immaterial substance
in the form of space. 6. Addhāsamaya (kāla)—Non-extensive, unconscious, immate
rial substance. Now, we propose to define each of these substances in detail. JIVĀSTIKĀYA
The fundamental characteristic of 'jiva' is 'upayoga 'l. Because of its formlessness, it cannot be perceived by the senseorgans. It can be known by introspection and inference. Now, what is ' upayoga'? The criterion of 'upayoga' is consciousness. In the technical language of Jainism, this consciousness is called 'bodha'. When this 'bodha' is evolved in a particular fashion, it becomes knowledge. To explain the term 'upayoga' it is further mentioned that 'upayoga' is of two kinds : determinate and indeterminate.2 Determinate 'upayoga' is further divided into eight categories. These categories are: mati-jñāna, śrutajñāna, avadhi-jñāna, manaḥparyāya-jñāna, kevala-jñāna, matiajñāna, śruta-ajñāna, and avadhi-ajñāna (vibhanga-jñāna ). Indeterminate 'wpayoga' is divided into four categories. These four categories are: Caksurdarśana, acakşurdarśana, avadhidarśana, and kevala-darśana. According to Jainism, there are indefinite jīvas in the universe and each jīva has innumerable pradeśas.3 It is not all pervasive. By contraction and expansion of its pradeśas, a soul is capable of occupying varying proportions of the countless Pradeśas of the universe, just like the flame of a lamp whose light can fill a small room as well as a big hall.'4 As has been observed by I'māsvāti: If the space is divided into innumerable parts, the size of a soul can be so small as to occupy one or more of these parts'.5 One part should not be confined to one pradeśa but it should be taken as having innumerable pradeśas, since the innumerability of the spatial pradeśas is of innumerable kinds. In special cases the size of a single soul can fill the whole universe. "By the contraction and expansion of
I Upayogo laksanam. Tattvārtha-sútra, II, 8. 2 Sa dvividhostacaturbhedah. ibid., II, 9. 3 ibid., V, 7-8. 4 Tattvārtha-sära, III, 14. 5 Asankhyeyabhāgādişu jīvānām. Tattvārtha-sūtra V, 15.