Shastravartta Samucchaya Part 4

This document is a comprehensive summary and analysis of the fourth staba (chapter) of the Jain text "Shastravartta Samucchaya Part 4," which focuses on a critique of Buddhism. The work is attributed to Haribhadrasuri and includes a Hindi commentary by Badrinath Shukla, with a detailed analysis by Yashovijay Gani Maharaj and an endorsement by Jainacharya Shrimadvijay Bhuvan Bhanusurishwarji Maharaj. The publisher is Divya Darshan Trust.

The summary highlights the following key points from the critique of Buddhist philosophy, particularly focusing on the doctrines of kshanikavada (momentariness) and vijñanavada (idealism) as presented in the original text and its commentary:

Overall Context:

• The fourth staba follows the critique of atheistic and other non-Jain philosophies found in the earlier stabas.
• The author, Haribhadrasuri, engages with Buddhist philosophy during a period of significant intellectual conflict.
• Despite strong criticism, Haribhadrasuri maintains a respectful tone towards Buddhists, avoiding personal animosity or self-aggrandizement, which is noted as a characteristic of great souls.

Key Buddhist Doctrines Critiqued:

1. Momentariness (Kshanikavada):

   • Core Tenet: Buddhism posits that all phenomena are momentary (kshanabhanga), meaning they cease to exist in the very next moment of their origination. They reject the existence of permanent entities like universals (samanya) or wholes (avayavi).
   • Proofs for Momentariness: The text discusses four reasons (hetus) presented by Buddhists to prove momentariness:
     • Non-existence of the cause of destruction (Nash Hetu): Destruction is considered uncaused.
     • Capacity to perform action (Arthakriya Samarthatva): Only momentary things can perform an action.
     • Transformation (Parinama): Things change (parinam), implying momentariness.
     • Observation of decay (Kshaya Darshana): All things eventually decay.
   • Jain Rebuttals: The text systematically refutes these arguments. For instance, the critique argues that if destruction is uncaused, then origination must also be uncaused. It also questions the very notion of arthakriya without a continuous entity.
   • Arguments against Momentariness: The Jain perspective highlights several logical contradictions arising from momentariness:
     • Impossibility of memory and recognition (Smarana-pratyabhijna): If everything is momentary, how can we remember past experiences or recognize continuity ('this is that')? The commentary provides detailed arguments for the validity of recognition.
     • Impossibility of causation: If causes and effects are momentary and disconnected, how can causation function? The critique examines Buddhist theories of samtana (stream of consciousness) and samagri (collection of causes) and finds them inadequate.
     • Contradiction with Buddhist scriptures: The text points out internal contradictions within Buddhist scriptures themselves, citing examples of Buddha's supposed statements about the long duration of the earth or the transmigration of souls, which conflict with the doctrine of momentariness.
     • The problem of continuity: The critique questions how a continuous causal stream (samtana) can exist if each moment is utterly discrete and disconnected.

2. Consciousness-only (Vijnanavada/Yogachara):

   • Core Tenet: This school, particularly the Yogacharas, denies the existence of external reality, asserting that only consciousness (vijnana) is real. What we perceive as external objects are merely constructs of consciousness.
   • Jain Rebuttal: The text refutes this by emphasizing the direct experience of external objects and the inability to explain the continuity of consciousness or the perceived differences in objects without an external referent. It argues that if everything is merely consciousness, then the distinction between what is known and the act of knowing, or the perceived causality, becomes problematic.

3. Other Buddhist Concepts Critiqued:

   • Rejection of other Pramanas: Buddhism primarily accepts only two means of valid knowledge: perception (pratyaksha) and inference (anumana). Jainism, however, upholds a broader epistemology.
   • Theory of Asatkaryavada: The critique addresses the Buddhist view that effects do not pre-exist in the cause, contrasting it with the Jain doctrine of Satkaryavada (effect pre-exists in the cause in some form). The text points out the logical flaws in Asatkaryavada, such as the problem of proving causation between non-existent entities.
   • The nature of negation (Abhava): The summary details a significant debate about the nature of negation, with the text refuting Buddhist and some Mimamsa interpretations and upholding the Jain view on negation.
   • The concept of the self (Atman): The Buddhist denial of a permanent self is implicitly contrasted with the Jain affirmation of the soul (jiva).

Methodology and Tone:

• The commentary (by Yashovijay Gani) is praised for its depth and clarity, utilizing the principles of Naya (standpoints) and Nyaya (logic).
• The author and commentators engage in detailed logical analysis, breaking down arguments and presenting counter-arguments (purvapaksha and uttarapaksha).
• The work meticulously analyzes karikas (verses) and their commentaries, explaining the philosophical nuances and refuting opposing views with logical rigor.

Overall Objective:

• The primary goal is to establish the validity of Jain philosophy (Anekantavada) by systematically refuting the core tenets of Buddhism, particularly momentariness and idealism.
• The text aims to guide the reader towards the path of liberation (moksha) by encouraging the abandonment of one-sided views (ekantavada) and the adoption of the multifaceted Jain perspective.

The summary provides a detailed overview of the critical engagement with Buddhist doctrines, showcasing the analytical prowess of the Jain tradition in philosophical discourse.