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is the base of their philosophical system which I will now describe in more detail in order to give an idea of fundamental ideas of the Jain system. According to the Jains the world of existing things falls into two categories; souls · Jivas.' and matter or Pudgala,' there are three more substances besides space and the mediunis of motion and of rest, but they need not detain us as they do not concern the problem in hand. There are numberless souls or Jivas' which are incorporated again as long as they have not reached the state of perfection. Matter on the other hand consists of atoms which are eternal but which are not a permanent quality. The qualities, of matter develop according to circumstances. Matter itself may be described as something which may become anything.
Now what we perceive is matter in a gross state but matter may also pass into a subtle state when it becomes imperceptible to us. Now the problem which Jain philosophy sets itself to solve, is to explain the state of things, as they appear 10 our experience from the action on each other of the two principles, soul and natter, and it has done so with a remarkable consistence and thoroughness. Here I must go into some more detail. Souls as I said before, are liable to transmigration as long as they have not yet reached the state
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
