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 Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
the Buddhists' guņas=dharmas (qualities==clements) like rūpa (colour), rasa (taste), etc., i. e. atom of colour, atom of taste, etc. Paramāņu of the Nyāya-Vaišeşikal is pūrvaparyāya (previous state or mode) of its own category and also Vijātiyāsahakārt nimittakārana (assisting instrumental cause of different kind. Paramāņu of Jaina Philosophy is beginningless, eternal and non-eternal from the points of view of substance and mode respectivily, while paramāņu of the Buddhists is nonpermanent, as the Buddhists Philosophy holds the view that every entity is evanescent according to its doctrine of momentariness. Paramāņu of the Sāmkhya-yoga also is non-permanent (anitya) as it is a Janyapadārtha (evolved entity), whereas, paramāņu of the Nyāya-Vaiseșika is beginningless (anādi) and permanent (nitya) like paramāņu of Jaina Metaphysics, but it is to be noted that paramāņu of the latter is also non-permanent (anitya) from the modal point of view.
According to Jaina Philosophy, all sūksma paramāņus are abhedya (impassable or impenetrable), acchedya (uncuttable) avibhājya (indivisible), adāhya (incombustible) and agrāhya (non-receivable), while paramāņu of the Buddhists appears to be bhedya or vibhājya (passable or divisible), for the Buddhist Philosophy advocates the theory of primary and secondary elements of matter. 4 Paramānus of the secondary elements of matter mean varna (colour-atom), rasa (tasteatom), gandha (smell-atom) and sparsa (touch-atom), i. e. the Buddhists conceived guņa (quality) as paramāņu and made it distinct from citta (mind), because the entire Buddhist system of thought classifies Rūpa (Matter) into two divisions, viz. primary and secondary elements.
1. Vaišeşikadarśana, Kaņāda, adhyāya IV, ābpik 1, sūtra 1, 3;
Nyāyakandali, Sridhara, pp. 78-80. 2. Vaiśesikadarśana, Kaņāda, adhyāya IV, āhnika, 1, sūtra 1. 3. Bhagavatr Vyākhyāprajñapti, 20. 5. 670. 4. Abhidharmakosa, Kośa, 1, śloka 10 A.