08-04-2022, 08:19 AM
Gatha-36
Thus, the soul (ātmā, jīva) is the knowledge (jñāna). The substance (dravya) is the object-of-knowledge (jñeya). The object-of-knowledge (jñeya) is expressed in any of these three ways – past, present and future modes (paryāya); origination (utpāda), destruction (vyaya) and permanence (dhrauvya); substance (dravya), quality (guõa) and mode (paryāya). Further, since the substances – the soul (jīva) and the non-soul (ajīva) – undergo modification, the above modes of expression are used.
Explanatory Note:
The previous verse (gāthā) expounds that the soul (ātmā, jīva) is the knowledge (jñāna). And the soul itself, without outside help, knows the self as well as the other objects-of knowledge (jñeya) through its own modification of the knowledge. No other substance has this knowledge. The substance, which is expressed in three ways – past, present and future modes; origination (utpāda), destruction (vyaya) and permanence (dhrauvya); and substance (dravya), quality (guõa) and mode (paryāya) – is worth knowing by the soul. The soul, like the lamp, illumines the self as well as the others and, therefore, is the objectof- knowledge (jñeya) as well as the knowledge (jñāna). The remaining five substances – the medium of motion (dharma), the medium of rest (adharma), the space (ākāśa), the matter (pudgala), and the time (kāla) – have no knowledge (jñāna) but are the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya). How can the soul know itself? It knows itself like the lamp, which illumines the self as well as the others. How does the soul know the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya)? The knowledge (jñāna) as well as the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya) undergo modification, and the modification of the knowledge (jñāna) is with help of the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya). With help of the objects-of knowledge (jñeya), the knowledge (jñāna) knows; if there were no objects-of-knowledge (jñeya), whom will the knowledge (jñāna) know? With help of the knowledge (jñāna), the objects-of knowledge (jñeya) are known; if there were no knowledge (jñāna), who will know the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya)? There is this eternal relationship between the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya) and the knowledge (jñāna).
Taken from . Ācārya Kundakunda’s Pravacanasāra – Essence of the Doctrine by Vijay K. Jain
Thus, the soul (ātmā, jīva) is the knowledge (jñāna). The substance (dravya) is the object-of-knowledge (jñeya). The object-of-knowledge (jñeya) is expressed in any of these three ways – past, present and future modes (paryāya); origination (utpāda), destruction (vyaya) and permanence (dhrauvya); substance (dravya), quality (guõa) and mode (paryāya). Further, since the substances – the soul (jīva) and the non-soul (ajīva) – undergo modification, the above modes of expression are used.
Explanatory Note:
The previous verse (gāthā) expounds that the soul (ātmā, jīva) is the knowledge (jñāna). And the soul itself, without outside help, knows the self as well as the other objects-of knowledge (jñeya) through its own modification of the knowledge. No other substance has this knowledge. The substance, which is expressed in three ways – past, present and future modes; origination (utpāda), destruction (vyaya) and permanence (dhrauvya); and substance (dravya), quality (guõa) and mode (paryāya) – is worth knowing by the soul. The soul, like the lamp, illumines the self as well as the others and, therefore, is the objectof- knowledge (jñeya) as well as the knowledge (jñāna). The remaining five substances – the medium of motion (dharma), the medium of rest (adharma), the space (ākāśa), the matter (pudgala), and the time (kāla) – have no knowledge (jñāna) but are the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya). How can the soul know itself? It knows itself like the lamp, which illumines the self as well as the others. How does the soul know the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya)? The knowledge (jñāna) as well as the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya) undergo modification, and the modification of the knowledge (jñāna) is with help of the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya). With help of the objects-of knowledge (jñeya), the knowledge (jñāna) knows; if there were no objects-of-knowledge (jñeya), whom will the knowledge (jñāna) know? With help of the knowledge (jñāna), the objects-of knowledge (jñeya) are known; if there were no knowledge (jñāna), who will know the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya)? There is this eternal relationship between the objects-of-knowledge (jñeya) and the knowledge (jñāna).
Taken from . Ācārya Kundakunda’s Pravacanasāra – Essence of the Doctrine by Vijay K. Jain