Cosmology Old and New

SR No.: 006547
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: G R Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith
Publication Year: 1991
Total Pages: 232
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 12 MB

Page 46

14
COSMOLOGY : OLD AND NEW
nas further confirmed this view. These are distant celestial bodies situated almost at the border of the universe wherein matter has been concentrated in an enormously dense
DHARMA Now we take up the discussion of the next component dharma in the main sutra :
अजीवकाया धर्माधर्माकाशपुद्गलाः ।।१।। Dharma has been defined by the Jaina writers in the following terms :-गमणणिमित्तं धम्म ।। (The auxiliary cause of motion is dharma.)
गइपरिणयाण धम्मो, पग्गलजीवाण गमणसहयारी।
तोयं जह मच्छाणं अच्छंताणेव सो णेई ।। 39 (As water helps the movement of a moving fish so does the medium of dharma help the motion of matter and soul. But it does not move those which are not moving.)
It should be noted that the word dharmat" in the Jaina Sāstras has been used in entirely a different technical sense than it is ordinarily understood to mean. Hindu philosophers have used the word in the sense of 'duty' or righteous deeds' (दधातीति धर्मः), but according to the Jaina writers, Dharma means the Aether or Space, the medium of motion, peculiar although it may seem.
जीवपद्गलयोर्धर्मः सहकारी गतेर्मतः ।
अमर्तो निस्कियो नित्यो मत्स्यानां जलवद् भवि॥41 (Dharma is known to assist the motion of soul and matter. It is formless, inactive and eternal. It behaves like water towards the fish in the world.)
क्रियापरिणतानां यः स्वयमेव क्रियावताम् । आदधाति सहायत्वं स धर्मः परिगीयते ।। जीवानां पद्गलानां च कर्तव्ये गत्युपग्रहे।
जलवन्मत्स्यगमने धर्मः साधारणाश्रयः ।। 38. Niyamasara, 2.30 39. Drurya-samgraha, 17.
40. धर्मादयः संज्ञाः सामायिक्यः। आर्हते हि प्रवचनेऽनादिनिधनेऽहंदादिभिः यथाकालमभिव्यक्तज्ञानदर्शनातिशयप्रकाशैरवद्योतितार्थसारे रूढा एताः संज्ञा ज्ञेयाः। क्रियानिमित्ता वा।।
41. Vardhamana Purana by Sakalakirti, 16.29. 42. Tatvartha-sara by Amrtacandra Suri, 3.33-34.