Jaina Advaita and Advaita Vedanta

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In Jainism, the journey of life has been from dualism (dowita, the soul and non- soul) to one or non-dualism (advaita), while in Advaita Vedanta, it has been from non-dualism of Shankara to qualified dualism (Vishishtadvaita) of Ramanuja and culminates in dualism of Madhavacharya.
This book examines the similarities and differences between Advaita Vedanta and Jainism and critically assesses the Samkhya view of the Self It discusses Kundakunda s criticism of the Samkhya system and evaluates the Buddhist view of the Self.
The book will be an indispensable reference work for scholars and students of Indian philosophy and religion, especially Jainism.

Jagdish Prasad Jain (1930-2019) was the Founder of Jain Mission and Editor of Jain Agam He was formerly a Diplomat/Adviser, Indian Mission to the United Nations, New York, USA: Deputy Director, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He devoted himself to the study of Jainism for over three decades and was well versed in Sanskrit and Prakrit. He has published numerous articles in national and international journals and lectured extensively in India and the United States, including at the Conventions of the Federation of Jain Associations in North America California (JAINA) and the Jain Center of North California.
Dr. Jain has published nearly a dozen books on Jainism, including Fundamentals of Jainism (2005), which was adjudged the best book on Jain religion and philosophy in January 2004 in an all-India competition. His other publications include Safration through Self Ducipline: Niyamsara of Kundakunda (2005). The Enlightened Vision of the Self Svarupa Sambodhana of Akalanka (editor, 2005), The Art and Science of Self-Realization: Purusharthaiddiryupaya of Amritachandra (2007). The Enence of Jain Scriptures: Pravachanant of Kundakunda (editor, 2015), Perspectives in Janum (2017), and Ramakaranda Shravakachara of Samantabhadra (2022).

The journey of the Self (Atman) in Vedanta has been from Shankara's non-dualism (advaita) to qualified non dualism (Vishishtadvaita) of Ramanuja and culminates in dualism (dvaita) of Madhavacharya. Advaita Vedanta has not been able to satisfactorily resolve the paradox as to how the "I" (the Self), which is regarded as the transcendental subjectivity or the transcendental Self (Atman) in Advaita Vedanta.
This paradox is satisfactorily resolved by the Jaina doctrine of anekant (many-sidedness of reality) and the Jaina concept of jiva (soul or Self), which is eternal and yet evolvent. The doctrine of anekant lays stress on the use of the transcendental (paramartha) and the relative points of views of nishchaya (internal, self- referential) and vyavahara (external, other-referential) The concept of ekatva-vibhakta expounded by Acharya Kundakunda, the greatest Jaina thinker, avoids the one-sided view of Advaita Vedanta about the reality of the Self (Atman), while ignoring or rejecting others.
The book assesses dualism in Jainism and Samkhya as well as the Samkhya view of the Self. It examines the similarities and differences between Advaita Vedanta and Jainism. It discusses Kundakunda's criticism of the Samkhya system and evaluates the Buddhist view of the Self. Unlike Shankara who preferred the alternative of "absolutely unchangeable eternal" (kutastha nitya). quiescent (nishkriya, ie, inactive, inert, passive) Atman, Jainism argues that the consciousness (soul, the Self or atman), which is eternal and yet evolvent and act of conscious force (chiti shakti), and which persists in all the three times, past, present and the future.
The book discusses how Brahmn/Atman in Advaita Vedanta is the primary condition of consciousness. Buddhism however rejects the notion of any such substantive ground reality, whether mind or matter. By accepting the reality of transcendental states of consciousness, which are essentially devoid of content and therefore non-intentional, Buddhism does not reject the notion of pure consciousness. Buddhist psychology presupposes a state of transcendence, which in important respects resembles a state of pure consciousness in Samkhya and Advaita Vedanta philosophies. The volume examines the nature of causal efficacy-the criterion of reality and assesses it from the point of Jaina thought.
I sincerely thank my son Rajendra K. Jain and daughter-in-law Sunita Jain for their encouragement, support, and help of various kinds.