This lectured notes tackles about the philosophy of Jainism, a Hindu school of thought. This discusses the metaphysics, cosmology, the non- existence of God, etc., from the perspective of the Jains.
Sacred Heart Seminary, Philippines
Asian Philosophy
LECTURED NOTES IN JAINISM
Origin of Jainism:
Jainism is properly the name of one of the religious traditions that have their origin in the
Indian subcontinent.
According to its own traditions, the teachings of Jainism are eternal, and hence have no
founder; however, the Jainism of this age can be traced back to Mahavira, a teacher of
the sixth century BCE, a contemporary of the Buddha.
Jainism and Buddhism, along with a school of materialists called Charvaka, were
regarded as the unorthodox darsanas, because they taught that the Vedas and
Upanishads had no authority.
The Metaphysics of Jainism
According to Jainas, the world is composed of two different kinds of substances, the
Jiva(conscious) and the Ajiva(unconscious).
These are the uncreated existing constituents of the Universe which impart necessary
dynamics to the Universe by interacting with each other.
These constituents behave according to the natural laws and their nature without
interference from external entities.
The Jiva
The soul substance which is said to have a separate existence from the body it houses.
Jiva is characterized by cetena (consciousness) and upayoga (knowledge and
perception. Though the soul experiences both birth and death, it is neither really
destroyed nor created.
The Ajiva
the non-soul.
Ajiva could be classified into 5. To wit:
a.)Pudgala- It is non-living matter, which is classified as solid, liquid, gaseous, energy, fine
Karmic materials and extr-fine matter or ultimate particles.
b.) Dharma –Medium of motion.
c.)Adharma–Medium of rest.
d.) Akasa –Space is a substance that accommodates souls, matter, the principle of motion,
the principle of rest and time. It is all-pervading, infinite and made of infinite space-points.
e.) Kala –In Jainism, time is explained in two different aspects. Firstly, as the measure of
duration, known in the form of hours, days, and the like. Secondly, as the cause of the
continuity of function of things.
The Concept of Atomism
The most elaborate and well-preserved Indian theory of atomism comes from the
philosophy of the Jaina school.
The Jains envisioned the world as consisting wholly of atoms, except for souls.
Paramanus or atoms were the basic building blocks of matter.
Their concept of atoms were very similar to classical atomism differing primarily in the
specific properties of atoms.
Each atom has one kind of taste, one smell, one color, and two kinds of touch, though it
is unclear what was meant by touch.
Atoms can exist in two states: (1.) subtle, in which case they can fit infinitesimally small
spaces, and (2.) gross, in which case they have extension and occupy a finite space.
Certain characteristics of Paramanu correspond with that of sub-atomic particles. For
example, Paramanu is characterized by continuous motion either in a straight line or in
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