Introduction to Jainism and its Culture

SR No.: 001605
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Balbhadra Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 334
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Culture
File Size: 21 MB

Page 154

controlling factor like time? Moreover, time is insentient; how can it on its own possess the power to control?
SVABHĀVAVĀDA (DOCTRINE OF INTRINSIC QUALITIES)
Thorns are pointed, deer and birds are multicoloured with myriad patterns, swan are snow-white, and peacock are enchantingly colourful; all these are their intrinsic qualities. There is no supervising entity in nature, everything is spontaneous and without a motive cause. These things are neither dependent on efforts or desires of some person or
entity
But the activities in this world cannot be taken as causeless because there are infinite causes available in the world for its infinite activities. Things happen only when there is some cause. Without cause nothing happens. A lump of clay has inherent qualities of transforming into a pitcher but that can happen only when motive and instrumental causes like rod, wheel, and potter are available.
NIYATIVĀDA (FATALISM)
If a specific action is destined to be performed by a specific person in a specific area at a specific time it will certainly be performed by that particular person in that particular area at that particular time. A person will certainly suffer whatever good or bad he is destined to suffer due to his fate. What is not destined will never happen in spite of all efforts. Whatever will be will be. All things of all beings are preordained.
There is also a modern philosophical version of fatalism. According to this, every substance has a preordained sequence of modes every following moment. Any effort is worthless to change because the substance will follow the destined trail of modes. The destined mode does appear due to the eminent cause. The motive cause automatically appears without any need of conscious effort. It is not petrol that moves a car. The car has to move and petrol has to burn. The thing that has to become the motive cause will automatically appear when required. One substance cannot bring about any change in another substance.
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