Applied Philosophy Of Jainism

SR No.: 032589
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Prachya Vidyapeeth
Publication Year: 2018
Total Pages: 82
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

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Development of the Theory of Non-absolutism...: 55
comes perfect by realising its potentialities of infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite-bliss and infinite-power. According to Jainism salvation lies in the full development of our potentialities. The mission of Jainism is the realisation of the self through the self. The godhood which is already present in the self has to be manifested and the soul has to be brought to its purity. Thus the spiritual journey of soul starts from impure state of the soul and ends with the pure state of the soul (Suddhātmā).
From the Jaina view-point the path of liberation is also not different from the self. The three aspects of our consciousness - cognition, affection and conation, when rightly oriented constitute the path of emancipation. In the Jaina philosophy, the three-fold path of liberation consists of right knowledge (samyak-jñāna), right belief (samyak-darśana) and right conduct (samyak-caritra). This implies that the cognitive, affective and conative wings of the self, processed into right knowledge, right belief and right conduct, appear to be the real path. Thus considered, the path of emancipation is also soul-stuff. As Acarya Kundakunda puts it:
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ādā khu majjha ṇāṇam ādā me damsaṇam carittam ca/ ādā paccakkhāṇaṁ ādā me samvaro jogo// damsaṇa-ṇāṇa carittaņi sevidavvāņi sāhuṇā ṇiccam/ tāņi puṇa jāņa tiņņi vi appāṇam ceva nicchayado/ Samayasara, 18. 19 Right knowledge (Jñāna), right faith (Darśana), renunciation (Pratyākhyāna), discipline (Samvara) and Yoga are the means to realize the real nature of the self. The same self (soul) is in knowledge, perception, renunciation, discipline and Yoga. What appears as knowledge, faith and conduct is no other than the self. From practical view-point (Vyavahāra-naya) they are said to be different from the self, but from real viewpoint (niścaya-naya) they are one and same with self. Right faith, knowledge and conduct should always be pursued by a saint, but he must know that all these three from real view-point are the self itself.
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