08-03-2022, 12:16 PM
Gatha-34
Teachings of Lord Jina that reach us through his divine words – which are in form of physical matter (pudgala) – constitute the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta). Essentially, the knowledge of the Scripture is scriptural-knowledge (bhāvaśruta). Empirically, the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is also knowledge.
Explanatory Note:
The Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is in form of physical matter (pudgala) since it is the non-absolutistic (anekāntātmaka) expression of the words of Lord Jina. Knowledge
of the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is scriptural-knowledge (bhāvaśruta). However, overlaying the effect in the cause, as overlaying life in food, empirically, the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is also knowledge. In real terms, the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is not knowledge since it is physical matter (pudgala). Knowledge just knows; it is the manifestation of consciousness (cetanā), no strings attached. The knowledge arising on the study of the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) gets the designation ‘śrutajñāna’ only because the Scripture is the instrumental cause of that knowledge. From the transcendental-point-of-view (niścayanaya), only knowledge begets knowledge.
Gatha-35
The one who knows – the soul – is the knowledge. The soul does not know through its quality of knowledge. The knowledge (jñāna), on its own, transforms and pervades in all objects-of knowledge (jñeya).
Explanatory Note:
From the transcendental-point-of-view (niścayanaya), the knowledge (jñāna) and the soul (ātmā) are the same and coextensive. For the purpose of explanation, empirically,
the two get different designation, number, sign, or utility. Manifestation of the soul in form of knowledge is the knowledge. The fire is the doer (kartā) of the process of burning and the heat (in the fire) is the cause (kāraõa) of burning. The fire and the heat are empirically different but, in reality, both are the same; the fire is the heat. In the same way, the soul is the doer (kartā) of the process of knowing and the knowledge is the instrument (sādhana) of knowing. Empirically, there is the suggestion of difference between the soul and the knowledge but, actually, there is no difference. The man who cuts grass with the help of the mower is, by designation, the grass-cutter, but the man and the mower are different entities. There is no such difference between the soul and the knowledge. The soul is not the knower because of any external quality of knowledge; the two – the soul (ātmā) and the knowledge (jñāna) – are the same, as the fire and the heat. The ignorant who believes that the soul and the knowledge are different and only due to the influx of the knowledge the soul attains consciousness, must concede, as a corollary, that the soul is unconscious and gets consciousness due to the influx of the knowledge. Then, all objects including the dust, the pot, and the cloth, must attain consciousness on pervasion of the knowledge through these. This is absurd. Therefore, the soul and the knowledge are one and as the reflected objects dwell in the mirror, the objects of knowledge dwell in the knowledge.
Taken from . Ācārya Kundakunda’s Pravacanasāra – Essence of the Doctrine by Vijay K. Jain
Teachings of Lord Jina that reach us through his divine words – which are in form of physical matter (pudgala) – constitute the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta). Essentially, the knowledge of the Scripture is scriptural-knowledge (bhāvaśruta). Empirically, the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is also knowledge.
Explanatory Note:
The Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is in form of physical matter (pudgala) since it is the non-absolutistic (anekāntātmaka) expression of the words of Lord Jina. Knowledge
of the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is scriptural-knowledge (bhāvaśruta). However, overlaying the effect in the cause, as overlaying life in food, empirically, the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is also knowledge. In real terms, the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) is not knowledge since it is physical matter (pudgala). Knowledge just knows; it is the manifestation of consciousness (cetanā), no strings attached. The knowledge arising on the study of the Scripture (sūtra or dravyaśruta) gets the designation ‘śrutajñāna’ only because the Scripture is the instrumental cause of that knowledge. From the transcendental-point-of-view (niścayanaya), only knowledge begets knowledge.
Gatha-35
The one who knows – the soul – is the knowledge. The soul does not know through its quality of knowledge. The knowledge (jñāna), on its own, transforms and pervades in all objects-of knowledge (jñeya).
Explanatory Note:
From the transcendental-point-of-view (niścayanaya), the knowledge (jñāna) and the soul (ātmā) are the same and coextensive. For the purpose of explanation, empirically,
the two get different designation, number, sign, or utility. Manifestation of the soul in form of knowledge is the knowledge. The fire is the doer (kartā) of the process of burning and the heat (in the fire) is the cause (kāraõa) of burning. The fire and the heat are empirically different but, in reality, both are the same; the fire is the heat. In the same way, the soul is the doer (kartā) of the process of knowing and the knowledge is the instrument (sādhana) of knowing. Empirically, there is the suggestion of difference between the soul and the knowledge but, actually, there is no difference. The man who cuts grass with the help of the mower is, by designation, the grass-cutter, but the man and the mower are different entities. There is no such difference between the soul and the knowledge. The soul is not the knower because of any external quality of knowledge; the two – the soul (ātmā) and the knowledge (jñāna) – are the same, as the fire and the heat. The ignorant who believes that the soul and the knowledge are different and only due to the influx of the knowledge the soul attains consciousness, must concede, as a corollary, that the soul is unconscious and gets consciousness due to the influx of the knowledge. Then, all objects including the dust, the pot, and the cloth, must attain consciousness on pervasion of the knowledge through these. This is absurd. Therefore, the soul and the knowledge are one and as the reflected objects dwell in the mirror, the objects of knowledge dwell in the knowledge.
Taken from . Ācārya Kundakunda’s Pravacanasāra – Essence of the Doctrine by Vijay K. Jain