Jain Science and Spirituality

by Medhavi Jain | 2020 | 61,419 words

This essay studies the elements of Jainism and investigates how Jain science and philosophy can give the world answers to through science and spirituality. Instead of interpreting it as a confined, strict philosophy, it is shown that Jainism represents a path towards self-awakening through self-improvement....

mati-shruta-vadhi-manahparyaya-kevalani jnanam
  —(Tattvartha Sutra 1.9)

‘The varieties of knowledge are: empirical, articulate, clairvoyant, mind-reading and omniscient knowledge.’[1]

Each type of knowledge is a ladder to move onto the path of spiritual discipline along with exploring higher planes of knowledge.

‘Empirical knowledge (cognition) is gained through the senses and/or the mind’s ability to comprehend what is sensed.’[2]

This is the first and the basic way of gaining knowledge for each one of us, irrespective of our intellect.

‘Articulate knowledge refers to conceptualization through language.’[3]

The knowledge we gain, through our senses and mind, requires words for expression. Though words have their own limitations, but they display an enhanced vision of a particular subject or event.

‘Clairvoyance refers to the perception of things that are out of the common scope of senses. In individuals, clairvoyance is gained through profound spiritual discipline while, for the occupants of paradise and hell, it is intrinsic. Clairvoyance is also workable for creatures that are not human but have five senses and mind.’[4]

Laws of the universe are miraculously mysterious and valid. Denizens of heavens and hells are inborn clairvoyant, hence they know about the reason of being there from the beginning of their birth, in this way the cosmos gives them chance to explore these planes and they are free to choose the upliftment or vice versa. Whereas being humans we are completely unaware of the reasons of our circumstances; being human, being on earth is like a test, result of which is decided by our reaction to each happening.

Also the universe never discriminates between the most developed species and the lesser developed hence clairvoyance can be possessed by any being who has five senses and mind.

‘Mind reading is the act of seeing the objects (the modes) of another’s mind.’[5]

Gaining knowledge, step by step, takes one to the planes from physical to subtle. Where clairvoyance is avadhi gyana, in which the events in time are remembered, mind reading is a step ahead and makes the seeker capable of reading and understanding others’ mind.

While used together with clairvoyance it can do wonders; it makes the practitioner able of traveling back in time to see what someone was thinking during that particular happening.

‘Omniscience refers to knowledge of all substances in all their modes: past, present and future.’[6]

This is the knowledge a spiritualist must aim for! A blissful state of knowledge where one is adept to see each atom, each being, each object of the universe, with all its modes. The knower of everything, the God; hence we see in Jain philosophy only knowledge can take one towards Godhood.

‘These five varieties of knowledge divide into the two classes of approved means of knowledge, the mediate (acquired) and the immediate (innate).’[7]

Another beauty of philosophy is that it keeps dividing further, any type of knowledge can be acquired in two ways, through a medium–where senses and mind work together as a medium and the immediate knowledge, which does not require any medium but is directly perceived through the soul.

‘The first two varieties of knowledge, empirical and articulate, are acquired knowledge.’[8]

As they involve mind and senses.

‘The rest three varieties of knowledge are occurrences of intrinsic learning. The intensity of knowing is intrinsic to the spirit however this power is halfway, however never totally, qualified by the karmic particles.’[9]

A basic query to know anything falls under the quest of the soul. Mind and senses get operated by the consciousness. However the immediate knowledge is covered by the layers of karmic matter, the range of which may vary highly from one being to another.

But once the process of the same starts to get revealed it fills one with amazement.

‘Clairvoyance and mind-reading result from halfway concealment and fractional disposal of the pertinent karma. Just Omniscience is splendidly intrinsic in light of the fact that only it emerges out of complete elimination of knowledge covering karma and consequently knows everything, past, present and future.’[10]

Becoming omniscient is the pinnacle of gaining knowledge for it leaves not even an atom of the whole universe, with all its modes along with its past, present and future, to be known.

‘Karma exists simultaneously in three states: (1) eliminated, (2) partially eliminated and partially suppressed, and (3) rising. From the initial two states come knowledge (yet restricted). From the third state, rising karma, comes obliviousness, either as absence of knowledge or falsehood.’[11]

Perhaps none can guess that even the heaviness, or lightness, of karma matters in terms of how knowledgeable one is because mostly everyone sees karma in two ways–either good or bad. Wonderfully in Jain philosophy there has been described knowledge obscuring (gyanavarniya) karma. Where to attain godhood one is supposed to shed, not only ignorance related but each type of karma absolutely, not only the bad karma but also the good karma.

Rise in which indicates accumulation which eventually delays the process of the same.

‘Things which we are accustomed to discard as detestable are embodiments of truth.’[12]

This statement is a bitter truth actually. As, even in our daily lives, be it a particular persona, a particular community or any religious philosophy. We are tend to believe what we are told but in most cases the truth turns out to be something else which is not bad at all. Hence for a seeker it becomes necessary to have his own rationale as he is required to mend his path on his own.

Today religions are looked down by the educated. For the real purpose of it has been lost, credit of which goes to the hands that had the responsibility of taking care and spread of this eternal knowledge.

‘Religion is an endeavour to look through reality. The search for truth is as old as man himself. Similarly old is the delusion and both will proceed together.’[13]

As truth can only be felt and can never be proved, the one who realises it, spreads it as per his strength and moves ahead on his journey, the one who takes it understands it in his own way and spreads it further accordingly, this way the quest goes on and on.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

English Translation from TWI. pp. 12

[2]:

TWI. pp. 12

[3]:

TWI. pp. 12

[4]:

TWI. pp. 12

[5]:

TWI. pp. 12

[6]:

TWI. pp. 12

[7]:

TWI. pp. 13

[8]:

TWI. pp. 13

[9]:

TWI. pp. 13

[10]:

TWI. pp. 13

[11]:

TWI. p. 13,14

[12]:

MBM. pp. 7

[13]:

MBM. pp. 139

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