Jaina Epistemology

SR No.: 006738
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1990
Total Pages: 516
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 102

The General Conception of Knowledge
77
cognitions are its paryāyas. Similarly, the change of stuff into different shapes or forms is dravya-paryāya, just as the change of lump into the form of a jar. The change of soul into various biological kingdoms also is dravyaparyāya.
One more point that can be raised in this connection is this, that a jar possesses the particular shape just as the particular colour. The shape is known as paryāya while the colour is a guna. Is there any reason behind this discrimination ?
The Jaina replies that all varieties, whether qualitative or numerical, related with space or time, are paryāyas. The shape and the colour both are paryayas. But, there is a set of paryāyas which distinguish one substance from the other; they are called gunas. The colour distinguishes pudgala from the other substances, but the particular shape does not. It can be held commonly by jíva as well as pudgala. The paryāya is related with different modes or states of the same dravya.
The difference between gana and paryāya can be further ascertained on the ground that paryāya is a differentia based on change. It is pariņāma. Guņas are not pariņāma. Out of the three synonyms of paryāya the two, ii e. paryāya and višesa are common to both guna and paryāya. The third synonym pariņāma is peculiar to paryāya only.
Darvya and Paryāya : A Relative conception : The conception of dravya and paryāya is not fixed. The same thing pointing to diversity is paryāya and that to unity is dravya. The clay is paryāya in respect of pudgala, as it points to one state of the latter. But, the same is dravya in respect of its substate of lump, jar etc. Dravya means the stuff or material cause, Paryāya means the effect. The same thing is effect in one respect and cause in the other. Gunas are generally accepted as to continue in all the stages of their respective dravya. Brightness is the guna of gold and it continues in all the stages of bangle, necklace etc. When we talk of a guna, we meana