Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

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

Page 35

The concept of Paryaya : Its Ethico-Spiritual Significance 23 Jainism subscribes to the view of the co-ordinate existence of substance and its modes. It is rather a balanced view of reality in which the elements of permanence and change find their due place. The possibility of permanence and change is grounded in Jain concept of substance. It takes changes as real and productive of a manifestation that is Paryaya. What Jainism proclaims is that substance is, always connected not only with qualities but Paryaya - modification. In other words, substance is always associated with certain intrinsic qualities which are inalienable. Further substance with its quality must exist in some form or state. This form or state is its mode of existence called Paryaya. Paryaya is subject to change but substance is eternal. Thus it is clear that everything in the nature is of the nature of being. Unity duality and plurality are inseparably connected in the structure of reality. Being is permanent through its changing modes known as Paryayas. The Jaina view of the real as combination of the unity of a substance with the diversity of the states and the co-existence of unity and diversity is not logically absurd. It is pertinent to note that epistemologically the complex nature of reality can be viewed from different standpoints. From the standpoint of substance everything is permanent and from the standpoint of modification, everything is changing. What undergoes modifications is substance. In fact, unity of change and permanence of a real is consistently maintained in Jainism. Perhaps, one may agree with the view that "Jainism is the most consistent form of realism as it allows the principle of distinction to run its full course until it reaches its logical terminus into theory of manifoldness of reality and knowledge." With this unique Jaina concept of Paryaya, Jaina philosophy ends neither into skepticism nor into agnosticism. It believes that the things can be known. It must be emphasized that Jain view is not paradoxical. Change is not appearance. But change means cessation of a previous mode and coming into being of a new mode. Reality of change and Identity cannot be questioned. Identity is accepted to be true in the midst of all varying modes or differences and a thing never becomes unsubstantial in spite of varying modes. Reality of relation is recognized. Focus on the changing aspect of reality has far-reaching philosophical implications. Substance is that in which there are