Asian Philosophy

1. Asian Philosophy Lecture 3

2. The Jain Vision Jains do not look to a God to understand how to conquer suffering. Jains look to humans that have conquered human suffering. Those that have conquered human suffering are called Ford-Makers, because they show others how to cross over the river of human suffering caused by bondage. The fundamental cause of human suffering is bondage of the soul by karmic matter. Escape from human suffering comes through releasing built up karmic matter and blocking the attainment of more karmic matter.

3. The Mahavira Is the 24th ford-maker. Born 599BCE. Renounced all worldly ties by age 30. 12 years of austere life. Age 40 became omniscient. For 30 years after he led his people through teachings His teachings are present in the Angas, Jain scriptures.

4. The Uniqueness of the Jain Vision Jains accept the moral, psychological, and metaphysical dimensions of karma. Jains go further by claiming that karma has a material force dimension. Jainism holds that there are tiny bits of karmic matter floating around everywhere. Soul ≠ Mind Mind is constituted by karmic matter that blocks the soul from its natural state of being in pure bliss with omniscience and unlimited energy.

5. Jain Dualism The essence of the soul (jiva) is life. Characteristics: Perception Knowledge Bliss Energy In the pure state: knowledge is omniscience, energy is unlimited, and bliss is pure. The soul can expand and contract depending on the size of the body it occupies. The Essence of Matter (pudgala) Smallest matter is anu Aggregates are skandha Atoms can come together. Atoms can come apart. Space is infinite • There is a space for lived things. • There is a space that is beyond this world. • Space provides room for extended things.

6. Jains on the Organization of Matter Thesis: There must be forces or principles governing matter. • There are atoms and there is space that atoms occupy. • If there were no principles governing atoms in space, then they would always scatter to fill the space. • There are stable objects that are aggregates of atoms. • So, there must be principles governing the atoms. Dharma = the principle that governs the movement of atoms. Adharma = the principle that governs stability of aggregate matter.

7. Jain Metaphysics Realism – There is an external reality that exists independently of the human mind. Pluralism – There is a plurality of fundamental entities. Reality is constituted by innumerable material and spiritual substances. Each substance is constituted by innumerable qualities. Each quality can undergo an infinite number of modifications. Nature is many-sided. Anekānta. There are infinite aspects

8. The Jain Epistemology Ordinary human cognition cannot grasp reality, since it is too complex. Because reality is many-sided and complex our ordinary human knowledge of reality is always perspectival. The Parable of the Five Blind Men: A king asks five blind men to touch an elephant and tell him what it is. First touches the trunk, thinks it is a snake. Second touches the tail, thinks it is a rope. Third touches the leg, thinks it is a tree trunk. Fourth touches the ear, thinks it is a fan. Fifth touches the side, thinks it is a wall.

9. Jain Theory of Seven Fold Judgment (Syadvāda) Given a judgment P, the Jains hold that • There is a perspective from which P is true. • There is a perspective from which P is false. • There is a perspective from which P is both true and false. • There is a perspective from which P is inexpressible, indescribable. • There is a perspective from which P is true, and is also inexpressible / indescribable. • There is a perspective from which P is false, and is also in expressible / indescribable. • There is a perspective from which P is both true and false, and inexpressible / indescribable.

10. Naya vs. Pramana Naya = provide an ordinary human with knowledge from a given standpoint or point of view. Perspectival knowledge is acquired. Pramāna = total knowledge of a thing. The underlying self that is omniscient is the subject of pramāna because the underlying self is omniscient and can know everything. The ordinary self is subject only to naya, perspectival knowledge, since there are infinite aspects that cannot be grasped all at once through the senses that one uses in acquiring ordinary human knowledge.

11. Jain Ethics Five Principles: Ahimsa: non-violence or non-hurting through speech, thought, and action. Satya: truthfulness in speech. Asteyam: not taking what is not given. Brahmacaryam: sexual purity. Aparigraha: abstinence from all attachment.

12. Ahimsa as a fundamental principle Buddhist and Hindus also accept Ahimsa as an important ethical idea. However, for Jains it is fundamental. Ahimsa Negative aspect: Positive aspect: Don’t be the cause of harm. Provide aid to others. Avoid harm in speech and thought. Serve others.

13. Jainism and Sallekhana Sallekhana is the Jain religious practice of producing death by fasting. The goal of fasting is to help produce the lowest amount of negative karma. Although many other religions do not allow for one to take their own life, Jainism does allow it. Conditions: • Must be voluntary. • Must have no responsibilities remaining in life. • Done under community supervision. • Old age or terminal disease. • One’s inability to perform normal bodily functions. • The condition is so bad that life’s pleasures are non-existent. • The person must be fully conscious and in good mental and emotional health. • Strong desire to burn karmas by fasting. • Permission from family members. • Strong desire for release from the cycle of rebirth.

14. Mahatma Gandhi Born October 2, 1869 Died January 30, 1948 Educated in England Fought for the independence of India from the British empire. Used non-violent civil disobedience as a way to fight unjust rule. The Jain theory of Ahimsa is a foundation for his philosophy.