Impact of Nyaya and Vaisesika School on Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 269078
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Z_Sagar_Jain_Vidya_Bharti_Part_6_001689.pdf
Publication Year: 2003
Total Pages: 7
Language: English
Classification: Article & Jainism
File Size: 331 KB

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The Impact of Nyaya and Vaiseṣika School on Jaina ... :
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philosophers logically presented these doctrines without assimilating the views of other contemporary schools on their own footings.
The impact of other philosophical traditions on Jaina philosophy starts from the second phase i.e. after 2" century BC. In this period Jaina thinkers propounded the doctrine of six substances (Sad-dravya) and explained the relationship between substance (Dravya), attribute (Guna) and modes (Paryaya). Though, the words such as sat, dravya and astikaya were already used in Indian philosophy for Reality, but originally they belonged to different traditions. The word 'sat'belongs to Vedic tradition, while the word dravya was used by Nyaya-Vaiseṣika. Similarly, the word astikāya originally belongs to the Jaina tradition but later on Jaina thinkers used all these three words for Reality. Etymologically, these three words connote three different meanings. The word 'sar' means that which exists without changing, while the word 'dravya' means that which exists with changes. The word astikaya means that which exists with extension in space. The Jaina doctrine of Sad-dravya was a new development but really there was nothing new in this doctrine of six substances except the addition of kāla (time) as a substance along with the five astikāyas. It was a later development of the doctrine of pañcāstikāya. The acceptance of the word "dravya" in Jaina tradition seems to be an influence of Nyaya-Vaiseşika philosophy. According to Jaina philosophy the number of the substances is six while Vaišeṣika school accepts nine substances. In the list of both these schools akāśa, kāla and ātman (jiva) are common. Akasa and atman are also included in the list of pañcāstikāya. Here, only inclusion of kāla (Time) may be considered as an impact of Vaiseṣika school. It is worth to note that in the Śvetambara tradition even up to the seventh century AD, kala was not accepted as an independent substance by some of the scholars. According to them kala is only a mode (444) of jīva and pudgala (matter). The debate whether time can be regarded as an independent substance or not, begins from 3" century AD, before the formulation