Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

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

Page 52

40 Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy instrumental cause but the efficient cause is the object itself. This is a still stronger rebuttal to the theory that God can do anything to anything; thus making change a phenomenon wholly dependent on the inner capacity of object and denying any role of an outsider agency. Thus we find that the concept of paryaya which accounts for change is an alternative answer to the theory of a creator God. The moral value of this theory lies in the freedom of will. If others can bring about any change in me, I am not free to change myself to that extant. The Jainas give this freedom not only to the conscious being but to an atom also. Of course, in this struggle the Naiyayikas were isolated as the exponent of God, the creator. Neither the Mimamasakas, nor the Samkhya nor the Buddhist accepted God. Vedanta accepted God but only as mayopahita caitanya, and as such can be termed as semi-theists.