________________ SVABHAVAVADA (NATURALISM) : A STUDY The Svetasvatara Upanisad' gives a list of first causes of the variety of the world according to some thinkers. This list includes Time, Nature, Destiny, Chance (accident), the Elements and Purusa. This paper will confine itself mainly to an investigation of the real nature of the doctrine of Svabhava (Naturalism as opposed to Accidentalism) by scrutinising available references to it in Sanskrit and Prakrit literature. In the commentary to the Svetasvatara Samkaracarya? explains svabhava as inherent nature of a thing, as, for instance, heat of fire. In the Buddhacarita3 Asvaghosa clearly sets forth the views of the supporters of Svabhavavada: ".... They teach that there is an essential force of nature at work in the continuance of activity, like the essential heat of fire and the essential liquidity of water. Some explain that good and evil and existence and non-existence originate by natural development (Svabhava); and since all this world originates by natural development, again therefore effort is vain. That the action of each sense is limited to its own class of object, that the qualities of being agreeable or disagreeable are to be found in the objects of the senses and that we are affected by old age and afflictions, in all that what room is there for effort ? Is it not purely a natural development ? The oblation devouring fire is stilled by water, and the flames cause water to dry up. The elements, separate by nature, group themselves together into bodies and, coalescing, constitute the world. That, when the individual enters the womb, he develops hands, feet, belly, back and head, and that his soul unites with that body, all this the doctors of this school attribute to natural development. Who fashions the sharpness of the thorn or the varied nature of beast and bird ? All this takes place by natural development. There is no such thing in this respect as action of our own will, a fortiori no possibility of effort."4 In the Nyayasutras Gautama states by way of Purvapaksa that things originate without any cause like the sharpness of thorns, Vatsyayana, in his Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org