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Chapter 5 - Verse 30
Through the perspective of seeing and not seeing from the other side, an object appears to be only in a stable form or only in an unstable form. However, by providing vision from both aspects, the complete and true nature of the object is understood. Therefore, according to both perspectives, the nature of reality (sat - substance) is propounded in this verse.
Now, to resolve the contradiction, it illustrates the nature of eternal lastingness: "That which does not change from its essence (from its inherent nature) is eternal."
The previous verse stated that substances are characterized by production, destruction, and permanence, meaning they have both stable and unstable forms. However, the question arises as to how this can occur. How can what is stable also be unstable? And how can what is unstable also be stable? Since both stability and instability are contrary like cold and hot, they cannot occur simultaneously in one object. This raises a question of whether the definition of reality as characterized by production, destruction, and permanence is contradictory. The intention of this verse is to demonstrate the nature of eternal existence that resolves this contradiction.
Like some other philosophies, Jain philosophy holds that the true nature of objects remains consistently in one form without any change; thus, the coexistence of stability and instability raises a contradiction because in such an eternal stability, instability cannot exist.