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The Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
etymology in their respective works in details, while Ācārya Hemcandra, 1 the independent Jaina grammarian also has given position to it in his own Vyākarana Sūtra and Vrtti in full details. The other point is that the etymology of the word 'Indriya' is not found in any Vedic philosophical work except in the very oldest commentarial works of the Pānini Sūtra, just as it is come accross in the Buddhist and Jaina texts. It is known that the etymology of the word 'Indriya', having found place in the Buddhist and Jaina philosophical treatises, became the subject of speculation of the philosophers. As for example, in the Mātharavịtti, 2 the oldest Vedic philosophical treatise, there is preserved the etymology of the word 'Indriya', but it is quite different and distinguishable from that recorded in the Buddhist and Jaina works. It is gratifying to note that when the nirukti (etymology) of this word 'Indriya', having left the field of word, entered into that of philosophy, then the stamp of the philosophical community got impressed on it. Buddhaghosa3 speaks of all those meanings as spoken of by Pāņini in the nirukti of the word 'Indriya', but he has made an attempt to adopt it by stating the meaning of Indriya as Sugata.4 The Jaina Ācāryas interpret the meaning of the word 'Indriya' as only Jiva generally; they have not made the meaning of it as Tirthankara like Buddhaghosa as desired by himself.
According to the Samkhya, the material cause of the indriyas (sense-organs) is abhimāna (ego) which is a kind of fine substance produced from Praksti.5 This view is acceptable 1. Indriyas', Hemaśabdānušāsanain, 1. 174, p. 128. 2. In iti vişayāņām nāma, tāninah visayān prati dravantiti
indriyāni, Mātharavștti, kā. 26, p. 43. 3. Tippan, 2, Darśana and Cintana, p. 134. 4. Ko Pana nesaṁ indiyattho nāmāti ? indralimgattho indri
yattho...bhagavā hi sammāsambuddho paramissariyabhāvato
indo .....attho vinicchayo VM. XVI, 4, 5, 6. 5. Sāttvika ekādaśakaḥ pravartate vaikṛtādahankārāt Bhūtādestanmātraḥ sa tāmasaḥ, taijasādubhayam
-Sāṁkhyakārikā, 25.
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