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
admitted. These undergo six different steps of rhythmic rise and fall (increase and decrease). Origination and decay are established by these changes”. 1
It means that “Among the six common attributes, viz. astitva (existentiality), vastutva (functionality), dravyatva (changeability) prameyatva (capacity of being the subject of knowledge), agurulaghutva (individuality or neither heaviness nor lightness) and pradeśatva (capacity of having some form), agurulaghuguna is such that an imperceptible rhythmic rise and fall is constantly taking place in its parts in six different steps and these natural rhythms-rising and decaying produce utpāda and vyaya. Agurulaghu attribute is said to be responsible for maintaining the individuality of a substance and its characteristic properties”. 2
So six fundamental substances, viz. Dharmāstikāya, Adharmāstikāya, Ākāśastikāya, Jivāstikāya. Pudgalāstikāya, and Addhāsamaya or Kāla, have been conceived by the Jaina thinkers as six categories of Reality through their experience and critical analysis of the noumenal and phenomenal aspects of it, and of eternal sentient principle (JIvatattva) and nonsentient principle (Ajivatattva) of the existing Universe. This conception of Reality with its nature reveals that prānstattva (principle of beings) and Jadatattva (principle of non-being) come into being and are becoming. In this way they avoided the question of creation and beginning. These six categories of Reality are characterized by the three potent factors, viz, origination, decay and permanence. They are not Kūtasthanitya tattvas (absolutely unchangeable reals) like those of the Sāṁkhya and Vedānta schools of thought., i. e. Purusa and Brahman respectively. They are eternal, independent and permanent reals from the point of view of substance (Dravya), yet they are 1. Anantānāmagurulaghugunānāmāgamapramānyādabhyupa
gamyamānānāṁ satsthāpanapatitayā vrdhyā hānyā ca pravartamānānām svabhāvādetesāmutpādo vyayaśca --
Sarvārthasiddhi, p. 273. 2. Cosmology, Old and New, p. 100.