Reals on the Jaina Metaphysics

SR No.: 001619
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: Shatnidas Khetsy Charitable Trust Mumbai
Publication Year: 1966
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Religion, & Epistemology
File Size: 8 MB

Page 85

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Reals in the Jaina Metaphysics
तदाकाशस्य वस्तुत्वेन समंजसंस्यात् । Again the Buddhists, while denying the reality of the Ākāśa say at the same time that it is eternal. Sankara points out that to call a non-existent unreal, eternal is meaningless; to be eternal, Ākāśa must be a Real.
न ह्यवस्तुनो नित्यत्वमनित्यत्वं वा संभवति, वस्त्वाश्रयत्वाद्धर्मधर्मव्यवहारस्य। धर्ममिभावं हि घटादिवद् वस्तुत्वमेव स्यान्न निरुपाख्यत्वम् । Eternality or non-eternality cannot be predicated of the unsubstantial; for, reference as the subject or an attribute can be made only in connection with a substance. If you make the predication of a subject and an attribute, the object of your predication must be a substance like a pitcher etc., and not an unsubstantial unreal.
The reality of Ākāśa is proved by the phenomena of Sound which according to the Vedic school is an attribute. The Buddhists seem to contend that a bird's flying in the so-called Space is possible, only if Space be a negation, i.e. devoid of all positive matter which can offer resistance. Sankara points out that in that case, if one bird flies in Space, the flight of another bird is not possible in it. For, as soon as the first bird flies in Space, its character as an absolute void is destroyed; so that the flight of another bird becomes impossible in it. The Buddhists contend that by the flight of one bird, the character of Space as an absolute void is not destroyed, because only the portion occupied by the first flying bird is obstructed, the other parts of space continue to be void and the flight of other birds is possible in those parts. Sankara points out that it is illogical to speak of an unsubstantial void as having different parts. He argues that if Akāśa be admitted to have parts it must be held to be a Real.
अपि च आवरणामावमाकाशमिच्छतस्तवैवास्मिन् सुपर्णमुत्पतत्यावरणस्य विद्यमानत्वात् सुपर्णान्तरस्यो त्पित्सतो नवकाशत्वप्रसगं :। यत्रावरणाभाव स्तत्रपतितिीति चेत् येनावरणाभावो विशिष्यते तत्तहिं वस्तुभूतेमवाकाशं स्यान्नावरणामावमात्रम् ।