Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

Author(s): S R Bhatt, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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The Concept of Paryaya : A Vedic Perspective 13 The Status of Change The most important question is whether the phenomena of change is also a part of reality (sat), as the Jainas would make us believe or, as the Vedantist would insist that, only permanence constitutes reality and the change in only apparent which can neither be described as existence nor as nonexistence (sadasad vilaksana). There has been a long debate on this point. According to Satkari Mookerjee the difference among philosophers (on this point) is a matter of conviction deeper than reason can probe. We, therefore, refrain from entering into this controversy in the present article. Our aim at the moment is to show how the pre-Mahavira Vedic literature deals with the concept of change (and permanence) so as to trace its origin in Indian Literature and also to show that this problem has engaged the Indian mind right from the Rgvedic times. As we shall confine ourselves only to pre-Mahavira literature we may refer to the classical orthodox (or Vedic) systems of Philosophy only in a casual way. Being and Becoming Coming to the Vedas, the famous Nasadiya Sukta of the Rgveda refers to one term abhu' which is supplemented by another term abhva by the Brahamana-texts8. These two terms, abhu and abhva can be translated as being' and becoming' respectively. Literally abhu means comprehensive existence (a=samanatad bhavati) and abhva means 'though it exists and yet it does not exist (bhutvapi na bhavati). In the Rgveda itself, abhu is said to have been covered by tucchya which has been explained by Sayanacarya as different from both, existence and non-existence (sadasad vilaksana), which is reminder of this term used as an epithet of maya by the later Vedantists. In any case, we can safely conclude that the Vedic seers were not only conscious of the problem of permanence and change, but were deeply concerned as to how the two seemingly contradictory attributes can be reconciled. Satapatha Brahmana says that we know the object by its name and form (abhva) which are changeable, the unchangeable remains unknown - Katham nvimanllokanpratyaveyamiti ? Tad dvabhyameva pratyavad rupena caiva namna ca... haite Brahmano mahat O'bhve... Te haite Brahmano mahati yakse'.