________________
Jaina
Metaphysics THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIRST PRINCIPLES
The Indian philosophical literature has made an exhaustive study of the concepts of Tattva (the first principle). Tattva comes from the word tat, and tat is a Sanskrt pronoun. By the suffix of the word tvu it connotes the meaning of this (tasya bhāvah tattvam). Tattva, therefore, refers to the first principle. In philosophical literature, there has been a very elaborate and deep study of the concept of the tartva.
From the practical point of view, tattva refers to the existing status (vastavika sthiti), the essence (sāravastu) and the summary (sārārsa) of a thing. In the philosophical thought the common sense point of view of tattva is accepted but transcended and given a richer content from the ultimate point of view. It means the nature of the substance, pure principle or the ultimate principle. In the Vedic literature, Brahman and Paramātma have been referred to as tattva. In the Sānkhya thought the first principle of the universe is described as tattva,
Different schools of philosophy bave given the description of the tattva from different points of view. But all of them emphasise that the tattva is very important in life. The life and thought are intimately connected with each other, and they cannot be separated.
1
Brhatnayacakra 4. Tattar taha paramatpham davvasahāvar taheva paramaparam. Dheyam suddham parama eyatha hunti abhihāņā. - Tattva, paramārtha, dravya svabhāva, par-apara, dhyeya, suddha parama - all these are synonyms.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
