Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

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

Page 50

6. Jaina Concept of Paryaya as an Alternative to the Concept of God as a Creator Pradumna Shah A substance may exist but the question has always baffled the thinkers as to how does it change. In fact, the question has been so baffling that a number of philosophers viz. some of the followers of Vedanta have denied the very existence of change labeling all change as mere illusion. You cannot ask how and why of an illusion. All illusions are but products of ignorance. What could be explanation for what appears to be a snake though it is really a rope except that snake does not exist at all but appears because of ignorance. The question as to what makes that snake is absurd. This is the position of an idealistic Vedantin. So he is not obliged to answer the question as to why change takes place. But all philosophers are not idealists. There are Naiyayikas, for example, who will not deny reality of change. The basic concept is that objects are static by nature. Then why do they move or in other words why to they change; because movement and change are invariably concomitant - there cannot be movement without change and no change is possible without movement. Suppose I move the book from one place to other place. Then the question arises who moves me. The answer could be that I being a conscious entity need no mover and can move myself. Even then the question remains who makes movement at sub-atomic level. The answer according to Naiyayikas is that the God is the primary mover.3