Basic Principles Of Jainism

Author(s): Narayan Lal Kachhara
Publisher: Narayan Lal Kachhara

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Pudgalastikaya
Jiva and pudgalastikaya are the two main substances in loka; the rest four viz., dharma, adharma, akasa and kala are passive helping substances. The word pudgala is a derivative made up of two words: pud meaning combining or fusion and gala meaning dissociation or fission. The properties of fusion and fission, which characterize all matter, are also responsible for the name pudgala given to this substance.
The characteristic attribute of pudgala is that it possesses the properties, which can be perceived by sense organs viz. colour, smell, taste and touch. Concomitance of all the four is emphasized by the Jains. In other words, if a thing is perceived by the sense of touch, it must also necessarily possess smell, taste and colour. The paramanu structure of pudgala is, as its name implies, absent in other astikayas. Whereas the other four astikayas are indivisible i.e. not disintegrable, pudgala is divisible. The ultimate indivisible unit of pudgala is called paramanu. Paramanu is the pure form of pudgala and all matter and energy are modes (impure) of paramanu pudgala. The paramanu can neither be created nor can it be destroyed. It is eternal. Although it possesses sense – qualities, it cannot be an object of sense - perception. It is the subtle most physical entity. By itself it transcends the sense experience, though it is basic constituent of all perceivable objects. The pudgala can be classified in two types as
(i)
(ii)
Paramanu or freely existing ultimate existence.
Skandha or composite aggregate composed of two to infinite number of paramanus. Composite aggregates are again of two types (a) 4-touch (catuhsparsi) and 8-touch (astasparsi). The four- touch skandha have only four primaries touch viz., hot, cold, smooth and rough. The eight touch skandha on the other hand, have in addition the secondary touch properties viz., heavy, light, hard and soft. The four touch bodies are mass less and eight touch bodies have mass. The subtle bodies of jiva like karman body and tejas body (see next chapter) are formed of four touch matter.
Kala (Time)
Kala possesses the characteristic of 'persistence - through – change' and, therefore, is a substance. Its existence is necessary to define the duration (continuity), change (modification). motion, newness and oldness of substances. Time by itself cannot cause a substance to exist, but continuity of existence implies duration in terms of time. Mutation or change or modes also cannot be conceived without time, because change implies temporal succession in which modification takes place. Similarly, motion implies different positions of an object in space in temporal succession. Lastly, time causes the distinction between the old and the new, the 'before' and the 'after'. Kala is not astikaya i.e. it does not have spatial extension. Only the 'present' mode of kala is in existence, the 'past' has expired and the 'future' is yet to come. The singular present' kala cannot have spatial extension.
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