Deepa Baruah

Concept of the Self in the Light of Jaina Philosophy Deepa Baruah

The concept of the self or atman occupies a significant position in the history of Indian philosophy. Almost all the systems of Indian philosophy give their views about this concept. The concept of the self-propounded by the Jainas has the scope of critical examination as it is different in many ways from other systems of thought . Hence; it is proposed to prepare a discussion for the proper understanding as this very valuable concept. The aim of the present dissertation is to examine the concept of jiva or the self held by the Jaina from a critical standpoint. The present book has been divided into six chapters including the introduction. In the introductory chapter, the historical background of Jainism is discussed. The second chapter deals with Jaina metaphysics. The third chapter deals with the Jaina concept of the self. In this content we have tried to give a short account of the concept the self in Nyaya-Vaisesika, Samkhya-Yoga and Advaita Vedanta systems. The fifth chapter deals with criticism of the Jaina concept of self. Finally, some conclusions are drawn based on the discussions made in these chapters.