Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 001663
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: J C Sikdar
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi
Publication Year: 1987
Total Pages: 412
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Physics
File Size: 23 MB

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The Conception of Matter in Jaina Pbilosophy
pāda,1 Ācārya Akalanka", Vidyānanda,3 Haribhadra Sūrių, Vinayavijayaji5 and other later Jainācāryas gradually developed it on a more scientific basis. They organized the entire system of dispute on Arambhavāda (Doctrine of Intransitive Causation) of the Nyāya Vaišeșika and Kșanika-paramāņuvāda (Doctrine of momentary atom) of the Buddhists and those of other Indian schools of thought in their respective works.
The Jaina thinkers have retained the Buddhist tradition of of skandha (molecule), while discarding the Nyāya-Vai esika view of Avayava-Avayavivāda (Doctrine of constituent part and composite whole) in formulating their concept of paramāņu (ultimate atom). It appears to have originated from the most primitive ideas about Matter. In Jaina Philosophy Matter (Pudgala) is conceived as an enternal substance undetermined from the point of view of transformation of its quantity and quality. Material particles may combine into one substance and one material substance may disintegrate into many. Every material entity of the cosmic universe is constituted of atoms.
The Nyāya-Vaiseșika holds the view that paramānu is an ultimate cause of the material world (tadantyam kāraṇam), but not the effect (kārya), it is the root cause of the elements 1. Sarvārthasiddhi, Āc. Pūjyapāda, āvștti, I, ch. V, sūtras
11, 14, 25, 26, 27, 30, 33, 35, 36, 37. 2. Tattvārtha Rajavārtika, Akalankadeva, Bhāga II, ch. V,
Sutra 11. 14, 25, 26, 27, 30, 33, 36, 37. 3. Tattvārtha Slokavārtika, Vidyānanda, ch. V, sūtras-11,
14, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 33, 34, 36, 37. 4. Haribhadriyavrtti on Tattvārthādhigama Sūtra, ch. V,
sūtras, 11, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. 5. Lokaprakāśa Vinayavijaya Ganin, part-I, sarga 1, śloka
21, p. 5. 6. Vaiśesikadarśana, Kaņāda, adhyāya, VI, āhnika, 1, sūtra 1,2;
Nyāyavārtika, Udyotakara, adhyaya IV, āhnika 1, sūtra 21.