LOGICAL STEPS TO MOKSHA ACCORDING TO JAINISM

The ontological view of Jains is concerned primarily with the life and existence rather than the creation of the universe and the conception of God. Jainism, however, cannot be regarded as agnosticism or metaphysical nihilism. It is to the credit of Jain thinkers that they constructed a philosophy and theory of reality out of the negative approach of those who were protesting against the dogmatism of the Vedas. Jainism does not deny reality. Jain philosophers adopted a middle course by propounding a theory that the world consisted of two eternal, uncreated, coexisting but independent categories of substances: The conscious (jiva) and the unconscious (ajiva). They developed the logic that the world is not altogether unknowable; only one should not be absolutely certain about one's assertions. Jain philosophers said that moral and religious values must be brought out of dogmatic slavery. Wisdom must be proved by reason which, in turn, depends on the experiences of self and of others. The human experience based on reason constitutes the data for the discovery of reality. CONCEPT OF GODHOOD: Professor Surendranath Dasgupta, the famous philosopher-historian, has described the concept of Godhood as follows: "The true God is not the God as the architect of the universe, nor the God who tides over our economic difficulties or panders to our vanity by fulfilling our wishes, but it is the God who emerges within and through our value-sense, pulling us up and through the emergent ideals and with whom I may feel myself to be united in the deepest bonds of love. The dominance of value in all its forms presupposes love, for it is the love for the ideal that leads us to forget our biological encumbrances. Love is to be distinguished from passion by the fact that while the latter is initiated biologically, the former is initiated from a devotedness to the ideal. When a consummating love of this description is generated, man is raised to Godhood and God to man." This corresponds to the Jain approach to Godhood. In Jainism, God is the supreme manifestation of human excellence.

The ontological view of Jains is concerned primarily with the life and existence rather than the creation of the universe and the conception of God. Jainism, however, cannot be regarded as agnosticism or metaphysical nihilism. It is to the credit of Jain thinkers that they constructed a philosophy and theory of reality out of the negative approach of those who were protesting against the dogmatism of the Vedas.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the context in which Jain seven sided logic developed, to examine Jain logic as a form of intellectual non-violence and to consider recent challenges to this position posed by the declared supremacy of the Jain view. I will argue, using a description of Jain renunciate practices and the associated metaphysical assumptions, that this form of logic is closely associated with and indeed motivated by the practice of ahimsa i (non-violence). I will

Indo Nordic Author's Collective, 2020

According to Jainism teachings, knowledge is the essential quality of each individual soul. Jain epistemology thus becomes vital in Jain philosophy. There are different prevailing views in Jainism and Jaina Philosophy regarding the epistemology, perception, intelligence, standpoints, Nayas and viewpoints. The main characteristics of epistemology in Jainism religion can be identified Jainism knowledge is of five kinds as Mati, Sruthi, Avadhi, Mahaparyaya and Kevala. The first two kinds of knowledge are regarded as indirect knowledge and remaining three as direct knowledge. The essential nature of jiva is consciousness which is made up both perception and discerning knowledge

2006

In a vast and currently quickly expanding field such as Jaina Studies, which is researched by only a small number of scholars, conference volumes covering a wide variety of themes are the principal means of academic communication across disciplinary boundaries. A welcome addition to the small but growing body of interdisciplinary publications in Jaina Studies is the work Essays in Jaina Philosophy and Religion, edited by Piotr Balcerowicz of the University of Warsaw. Specialised in Indian philosophy and formal logic, and one of the few experts in Jaina logic in Europe, the editor has done more than anyone in recent years in promoting the dialogue between technical philosophy and rest of the field of Indic Studies by organising regular international symposia on Indian religion and philosophy. The book under review contains proceedings of the International Seminar 'Aspects of Jainism' at Warsaw University 8 th -9 th September 2000, supplemented by additional contributions. This important collection of articles in English and Sanskrit is addressed at specialists in the field of Jaina Studies. It contains fifteen articles by leading scholars in the field, a foreword by Satya Ranjan Banerjee, a benedictory message in Sanskrit by Muni Jambūvijaya, a short preface by the editor, and an index. The main text is divided into four parts, elegantly labelled Caturaranayacakram, four viewpoint-spokes: Philosophy and Anekânta; Early Jainism, Buddhism and Ājīvikism; Ethics and Monastic Discipline; Medieval Mysticism and Sectarian Divisions. The first contribution in the sequence of chapters is, fittingly, Albrecht Wezler's article 'The Twelve Aras of the Dvādaśâra-naya-cakra and their Relation to the Canon as Seen by Mallavādin. First Part', which is the second part of the author's 'Studien zum Dvādaśâra-naya-cakra des Śvetâmbara Mallavādin', and based on Muni Jambūvijaya's critical reconstruction of the (lost) original text on the basis of Kṣamāśramaṇa's commentary. In his analysis of the sophisticated structure of the text, and of the relationship of Mallavādin's twelve naya (vidhi) scheme to the older seven naya (viewpoint) scheme and Siddhasena Divākara's two naya scheme, Wezler comes to the conclusion that Frauwallner's interpretation (in his Introduction to Jambūvjiaya's edition of the DNC Vol. I) of the 'terms' vidhi ('general affirmation'), niyama ('restriction'), and * A review of Piotr Balcerowicz (ed.

Jainism is a very old philosophy. It has exercised a great influence on the mind of man. Even Under the present-day educational system, boys and girls go to schools and colleges to follow a syllabus which has been set for them. The aim of education can be both social as well as individual. From the view-point of education for an individual, it should be such as to help develop the physical, mental and moral aspects of an individual’s personality. The aim of education is thus not restricted to t he one sided development of an individual’s personality; it seeks on the contrary, to develop the “perfect Man.” Jainism presents equal background to the aim of education and life. The aims of education would be influenced by the aims of life. Education is the important means of fulfilling the aims of life. Jainism is quite a sound philosophy and provides permanent aims of education. Jainism is not only a real source of getting worldly enjoyments and heavenly pleasures, but is a science to purify the mundane soul to attain perfection, omniscience, and undying infinite true happiness. It is original, independent, scientific, rationalistic democratic, universal, systematic and primitive faith not only of mankind, but even of birds and bests. It provides freedom, pure bliss, self-responsibility, self-realization, all equality voluntary, co-operation, reciprocal help, spiritual advancement, all love noble thoughts, sweet temper, simple living, pure food, contentment, international peace, exemplary action and brave conduct. Key Words: Impact, Philosophy, Jainism, Aspects, Education

Scientific Perspegtives of Jainism, 2017

Various concepts of origin and development of knowledge are discussed in this paper. We start with discussing the Jain theories of knowledge as understood from descriptions in different scriptures and commentaries. The second part attempts to deal with some crucial aspects of western theories of cognition. This is a multidisciplinary field involving physics, neurosciences, genetics, evolutionary biology, linguistics, information and computer sciences, artificial intelligence besides psychology and sociology and is developing very fast. In the last section, important problems and questions, which remain to be resolved are outlined. Attempt is made to identify important concepts and approaches of Jain and modern theories of knowledge, which could be fruitfully integrated and investigated in future.

Tamara Ditrich (ed.), Asian Studies (The Indian Subcontinent: Between Tradition and Modernity), Vol. 1 (17), Issue 1, 2013

Jainism proposes a unique theory of reality in which the extreme positions of absolute identity and permanence on the one hand and absolute difference and change on the other are avoided in favour of integrative ontology. Here, identity and difference as well as permanence and change are coordinated. The vertical and horizontal descriptions of the nature of reality are reflected in the basic definitions of substance and existence. This paper examines how this ontology is outlined in the works of Kundakunda and Umāsvāti.