Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
R44
Tirtha Sutra
It has not been done. Therefore, the question arises as to why the earlier statement did not consider time as a substance? The answer to this question is provided in this sutra.
The author of the sutra states that some teachers regard time as a substance. From this statement, it can be understood that in reality, time is not universally accepted as an independent substance.
The sutra writer has not refuted the opinion of the teacher who considers time to be a separate substance; he merely describes it. In this context, the sutra writer says that time has infinite modes. The initial mode of time has already been stated earlier. The modes of time are also of time itself. The present mode of time is merely a single instance, whereas the modes of past and future time are infinite. Thus, time is described as having infinite time modes. [38-39]
Now the form of quality is described in the main phrase:
That which resides in the substance without qualities is called a quality.
In the characteristics of a substance, the description of qualities has been provided; hence, its form is shown here.
Although modes are also dependent on substances and are without qualities, they exist in the substance due to being subject to production and destruction.
1. JIO A. 5, S. 12. 2. JIE A. 5 S.