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

Page 250

Effects of Matter
215
anucatana (e. g. causing spark of fire to fly out from a glowing ball of iron, etc.)?
Tamas (Darkness) : As pointed out before, Tamas (darkness) is conceived as material in Jaina metaphysics. Besides, the Jaina view regarding it has been supported by the Vedic and Buddhist works. In the Jaina Āgarna Bhagavati Vyākhyāprajñapti it is stated that “Day is bright and night is dark (Diya ujjoe rātim amdhayāre), because in the day time there is auspicious inatter, the transformation of which is auspicious, while at the night time there takes place the transformation of inauspicious matter. Here the purport of this statement is this that both light and darkness are material. Acārya Pūjyapāda has defined Tamas as the antithesis of light and the cause of obstruction to vision. It is not the negation of light. In the physical sciences also it has been demonstrated that there exist infra-red rays in complete darkness and “they can be perceived by the eyes of a special photographic plate." "In the absence of these dark rays it is not possible to have photography in pitch darkness.”:4
Chāyā (Shadow): Chāyā (shadow) results from the obstruction of light by an object. The Vaibhāsika school also accepts chāyā (shadow) as Rūpa (matter) having colour and shape. It is of two kinds, viz. images as seen in a mirror and univerted images like shadows. In the first instance of these two the left side becomes right and the right side becomes left.5 The produc1. Pam zavihe bhee pannatte tamjahā khañ dabhee payarābhee
cūnniyābhee aņutaạiyābhee, ukkariyābhee, etc., PV., 399
400; SS., p. 296. 2. Diyā subhā poggalā subhe poggalapariņāme rātiṁ asubhā
poggalā asubhe poggalapariņāme, Bhs., 5. 9. 224. 3. Tamo drstipratibandhakaranam prakāśavirodhi, ss. 5.24
(Comm). 4. Cosmology Old and New, p. 195. 5. Chāyā prakāśāvarananimittā sā dvedhā, varnadivikāra
pariņatā pratibimbamātrātmikā ceti, SS, 5. 24 (Comm).