Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

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

Page 40

28 Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy transitory It is a fact of life and experience. Reflection on it may enable one to develop a sense of detachment and equanimity. The Law of flux and transformation governs the world. Among all the transient things the only thing that is constant is our soul. The spiritual outcome of the study of the concept of Parayaya is thus compete understanding of the nature of existence. All that originates is invariably destroyed. Hence an enlightened person should not be attached to worldly objects. It helps us to accept all changes. Its true application leads to the development of philosophical attitude towards everything. When one is impressed by the transient nature of worldly objects, one directs one's attention from outward to inward which finally culminates into spirituality. "Soul is to be engaged in the practice of achieving self hood so that it attains absorption in the pure soul..."19 Spiritually, we must have cognition of permanence in what is transient. The essence of spiritualism consists in knowledge of discrimination between the eternal and transitory. To sum up, it is obvious that Jaina philosophers have accorded an important place to the concept of Paryaya in the theory of reality. Reality of change and identity cannot be questioned. Jaina attitude is not logically absurd or self contradictory. It eliminates illusionism and agnosticism. It signifies that complex nature of reality is understandable in terms of the concepts of persistence and change. The general nature of a thing is its permanent nature while its particular nature is temporary but all the same it is a part or aspect of the real nature of a thing. As regards its relation to the concept of soul, soul can cease to be its old self, that is, it can undergo change or become different from what it is and yet it persists. It gives meaning to causal efficacy. In the end, it is important to note that it suggests significance of ethics for emancipation so for as it transforms man by bringing about ethical change. It is indicative of the potential of human soul. Perhaps, pessimism is alien to the spirit of Jainism. The evolutionary nature of human soul indicates that soul can resume its pristine glory. As regards the change it has been rightly pointed out that "Dynamism of reality is the very backbone of existence, existence thrives through change. It is an unavoidable law of Nature. The attribute of dravytva is responsible for the movement of a substance from one mode to another."20 To conclude, the concept of Paryaya is unique in Jaina thought. It