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--- Essential Philosophy of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism so far as both of them exist as entities, they may be classed under one category the existence, the substance - one the material, the other the spiritual. Both of them have their qualities and modifications. But while the Vedantist says that the modification of a substance is a phenomenon and therefore unreal and the substance itself is the only reality, a Jaina says that substance and its modification are inseparable. Though a substance is different from its modification, neither of them can exist without the other. Though gold may be said in a sense different from gold ring, the gold ring does not exist apart from gold, nor do you find gold existing separate from some modification or form. When an old form or modification is destroyed, a new one is produced and in both cases we have the same substance. This leads us to the Jaina theory of the origin of the Universe.
Jainism has two ways of looking at things - one called the Dravyarthika Naya and the other Paryayarthika Naya. The production of a gold ring is the production of something not previously existing (at least not as a ring) if we think of it from the latter point of view i. e. as a Paryaya or modification; while it is not the production of something not previously existing, when we look at it from the former point of view i. e. as a Dravya or substance. So the Universe looked upon as a totality is eternal; when looked upon in its several parts and modifications there is in it creation and destruction every moment. The Jaina philosophy classifies the whole cosmos under two heads Jiva and Ajiva - sentient or conscious, and insentient or unconscious. The sentient or conscious being sullied by its contact with insentient or unconscious travels from body to body. When this unnecessary contact is removed, the conscious will shine forth in its bliss and that state is its final emancipation.
This brings us to the doctrine of re-incarnation and Karma. Although this doctrine is rejected throughout Europe and America
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Jain Education International
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| SR No. | 006901 |
| Book Title | Jaina Philosophy |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Virchand R Gandhi, Kumarpal Desai |
| Publisher | World Jain Confederation |
| Publication Year | 2009 |
| Total Pages | 298 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 5 MB |