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THE JAINA VIEW DARKNESS
Himanshu Shekhar Acharya The Jainas accept darkness (tamas) as one of the qualities of Pudgala!. A Pudgala is one of the five non-soul substances (ajīvadravyas) enumerated in the system. It is found in two forms i.e. atoms (anu) and aggregates (skandha). Aggregate which is equivellant to the whole of the vaišesikas is a product of the conglomeration of atmos4. Atoms arise only through disintegration of aggregates.
Umāsvātī in his commentary on his own work tited Tattvārthādhigama-sūtra notes that the four such as darkness, shade, heat and lusture out of the ten qualities of pudgala are caused by the transformation of pudgala. Probably this is the reason for those being known as modes (vikāra or payrāya) in the system. Besides, while clarifying the necessity of formulating two independent sūtras for the enumeration of the qualities of pudgala, he says that the qualities like colour etc. (enumerated in the sūtra 5.23) are transformed from both atom and aggregate while darkness etc. (enumerated in the sūtra 5.24) are transformed from aggregate only.
Vijaylāvanya Suri quotes Syādvādins saying that pudgalas are transformed into light and darkness. During transformation from light to darkness the luminousity of pudgalas of light are removed with their substance remaining constant.10
The arguments of the scholars like Hemachandra Sūri, Vijaylāvanya Sūri, Bhavasena etc. go in favour of the positivity of darkness. 11 The author of BS points out that the destruction of light transforms into darkness.12
Pujyapada, Nemichandra etc. hold darkness to be the factor obstracting our visual perception besides being a mode of pudgala.13
To conclude, tamas according to Jainas is a quality being a mode of pudgala and it can be considered as a substance since a mode (paryāya) is not different from a substance.14 It is worth mentioning here that tamas and chāyā are considered as two different entities in the form of two independent modes of pudgala's while these are accepted as indentical by Naiyāyikas. In the texts of Nyāya chāyā is used as a synonym for tamas or alokābhāva. According to Jainas chāyā is the form of an object reflected on another substance. It is divided into two types such as one in the form of an envelope of light and another is in the form of image (pratibimba).17 Tamas is considered as opposed to light by both Jainas18 and Naiyāyikas. It may also be observed that the second variety of chāyā i. e. envelope of light, resembles by its nature the tamas of Vaisesikas and Sāmkhyas.19 ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY BDS : Brhaddravyasamgraha of Nemichandra, ed by Monoharalal Shastri, Srimad
Rajachand Ashram, agas, 1966.
| SR No. | 520768 |
| Book Title | Sambodhi 1993 Vol 18 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | J B Shah, N M Kansara |
| Publisher | L D Indology Ahmedabad |
| Publication Year | 1993 |
| Total Pages | 172 |
| Language | English, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Gujarati |
| Classification | Magazine, India_Sambodhi, & India |
| File Size | 17 MB |