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 57

The Concept of Matter in Ja ina Philosophy
infinite substance with accommodation (avagāhana)1 as its property, giving room to other five fundamental substances, viz. Dharma, Adharma, Jīva, Pudgala and Kāla. The reality of Akāśa has also been accepted by all other Indian systems of thought like the Samkhya2, Theravada Buddhism,3 the Vaibhāṣika and the Vedanta5 as the substratum of all other four elements (bhūtas), viz. earth, water, fire and air.
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As regards Dik (direction) of the Nyaya-Vaiseṣika system of thought it is conceived "as that from which the notions of the various directions are produced with reference to a particular finite (murta) object as the basis of our judge
ment.
"6
The Jaina conception of Akāśa (space) includes Dik" in its category, i. e. it is interpreted as mathematically pure space. "The convention of east, west, etc. in the series of rows of the points of space is based on the rise of the sun, etc.
1. Gunao avagahaṇāgune-Bhs., 2.10. 118.;
Avagahaṇālakkhane naṁ āgāsatthikãe, Ibid., 13. 4. 48!.; Uttaradhyayana Sutra, 28. 9.; TS., V. 18.
2. Vayorāvaraṇaṁ yadi hi avakāśarūpaṁākāśaṁ na syāt tadā murtadravyeṣu sthalyādiṣu antasteja adipraveśo na syāt— Yogavārtika, pāda III;
3. AbhidharmadIpa, p. 9 (Ākāsa-dhātu).
capyasamskṛtam
4. Anasravā mārgasatyam trividham Akāśam dvau nirodhau ca tatrākāśamanāvṛtiḥ - Abh. K. i. kā.5; Avakāśam dadatftyākāśamiti nirvacanaṁ bhṛśamasyantaḥ kāśante bhāvā ityākāśamityapare — Abh. K. I. Kā. 5, Sphuṭārtha.
5. Akāśastallingāt, Brahmasutra, 1. 1. 22.;
Asamantāt kāśata iti ākāśaḥ-Śrīnivāsa, Vedānta-Kaustubha 6. PPBha., p. 28; The Conception of Matter According to Nyaya-Vaiseṣika, p. 189.
7. Diso❜apyākāśe
Disaścākāśanna Tikā, p. 321.
antarbhavaḥ-Sarvarthasiddhi, dravyantaraṁ...diśāmastīti, TS. Bha,
p. 269.