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Properties of Matter in Jaina Canons: (175)
general characteristics, which are found in all the realities. Basically, they are only two those with consciousness and without it, but their inter-relationships have led to their classifications into the tattvasseven in number or padarthas-nine in number at later periods. Sat is another name for dravyas or realities added during post-agamic periods. All these dravyas have the same general characteristics. Out of the two basic realities, the one without consciousness-ajīva (nonliving) seems to be more important as it is responsible for a large part of the worldly phenomena. The ajīvas have also two varieties-material and non-material. We will be concerned here with material ajīvas or matter only as we can directly study them by many methods today and compare and contrast our knowledge with the scriptures.
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Whatever be the type of reality, it has been defined in various technical terms leading to the same meaning. Any reality could be defined in two ways: it has some general attributes and it also has some special attributes. The reality cannot exist without these attributes. The general properties are called common properties, existential similarities, tiryak-sāmānya, guņas or coexistent qualities. Rājavārtika mentions eleven such qualities of a reality. However, Devasena and Mallavādī have given eight such characteristics details for which are available. They are existence or permanence, motion, changeability, knowability, particulate nature, visibility (or otherwise), non-consciousness (or otherwise) and aguru-laghutva (individuality).
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The other types of properties contained in the realities are called distinctive or specific properties. They are meant for differentiating one substance from another. Like the general ones, these also have various names: Viseṣas, Urdhvatā-sāmānya, Svarupāstitva or Paryāyas or modifications. There are sixteen such specific properties out of which only six are attributed to material ajīva world- touch, taste, smell, colour, shape and insensibility. Thus, any reality may be defined as consisting of some general and some specific qualities. It means that a reality in Jaina philosophy is neither a particularity nor universality exclusively but is a synthesis of both these types as Mehta has point out. This has been alternatively stated as a reality consists of gunas (attributes) and paryāyas (modes) or sāmānya and viseșa type of attributes. Padmarajiah11 has qualified these attributes
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Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
| SR No. | 006597 |
| Book Title | Nandanvana |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | N L Jain |
| Publisher | Parshwanath Vidyapith |
| Publication Year | 2005 |
| Total Pages | 592 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 25 MB |