Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Page 297

262
The Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
as it is absolutely devoid of any magnitude. It is an eterna substance.
According to the Nyāya-Vaiseslka, paramāņus are the ultimate constituents of bodies; they are indivisible and eternal2 material substances. A continuous process of production is involved in their internal character, though they are themselves incapable of producing anything, for they are kūtasthanitya (absolutely permanent). As there are stated to be four classes of paramānus corresponding to four elements of matter, viz. earth-atom, water-atom, fire-atom and air-atom, so atoms of any specific element of matter are admitted to possess all the specific qualities of it. Therefore, the four specific qualities, viz. smell, taste, colour and touch are possessed by the four kinds of atoms respectively by the order : smell by earthatom, taste by water-atom, colour by fire-atom and touch by air-atom.4 The specific qualities in the atoms of water, fire and air are eternal and constant, while those in the earth-atoms are subject to transformation (chemical action) under the influence of heat.5 So all the atoms, except earth-atom, of the same element of matter are qualitatively similar, but they are qualitatively dissilimar from the atoms of other elements of matter. The specific qualities of the four kinds of atoms are imperceptible, for they are unmanifest and inherent in intangible non-spatial atoms in which there is no gross magnitude accruing from the combination of parts.6 On account of this fact atoms are
1. Anitya iti visesataḥ pratisedhabhāvaḥ, VS., 4. 1. 4. 2. Ibid., Sadakāraṇavapnityam, Ibid., 4. 1.1;
Adravyatvena nityatvamuktam, vs., II. i. 13; VV. II. 1. 13;
KVBhā., p. 78. 3. NK., pp. 78-83; Avāntarabhedanirūpaņārthamāha nityo
cānitya ceti...kāryalaksanā prthivi. 4. Kāraṇabhāvāt, kāryabhāvaḥ, VS., IV. i. 3. 5. Jñānanirdese jõānanispattividhiruktaḥ, VS., VIII. 1. 13 and
See vv. 6. Anekadravyasamavāyāt rūpavišeşācca rūpopatabdhiḥ,
VS., IV. 1. 8;