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The Concept of Matter in Jaina Philosophy
Four general properties of Matter colour, taste, smell and touch, its impenetrability, cohesion, adhesion, greasiness (spigdhatva=attractive force) and roughness (rūkşatva=repulsive force), oscillation or vibration and motion are the common properties of Matter to both Jaina Metaphysics and physics.
The Jaina conception of the effects of Matter as earth, water, fire, air, vegetation, body, speech, mind and respiration and its manifestations as sound, combination, fineness, grossness, shape, division, darkness, shadow, heat and light is old in Indian Philosophy. All these effects and manifestations of Matter except 'shadow' have been accepted in the physical sciences in some forms.
The classification of Matter by the Jainas into one group to infinite groups from various points of view are valuable in an analysis of Matter in the light of the physical sciences.
The Jaina theory of transformation of Matter as a result of internal and external causes, propounded on the basis of various aspects, such as quality, etc. is a valuable contribution to the Indian concepts of transformation of Matter. Besides the Jaina concept of its transformation brought about by the processes of integration, disintegration and integration-cumdisintegration is identical with the theory of chemical behaviour of atoms and molecules as explained in the physical sciences. The process of the combination of Matter as explained in Jaina metaphysics on the basis of certain principles of interactions between atoms which give rise to the existence and behaviour of matter in bulk bears some points of similarity with that of the physical sciences regarding inter-atomic forces and the combination of atoms.
The greatest value of the Jaina conception of Matter lies in the fact the reality of Matter, with its noumenal and phenomenal aspect, has amply and brilliantly been expressed together with its potent factors-origination, decay and permanence from the points of view of substance, locus, time and condition
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