Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

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

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44 Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy Substance is suggestive of something unchanging behind the changes and yet it is characterised by both continuity and change. The substance is endowed with attributes or qualities, which are permanent or unchanging and always reside in the substance, and accompanied by change or modifications. A quality is (actually) the distinguishing character of one substance from another, while the modifications of such qualities are called modes (paryaya). The modes too reside, though not always, in a substance; they are subject to origination and destruction and are temporary. "The object [of knowledge] indeed, consists of substance, the substances are said to have their essence in qualities. And through these are the modifications."4 The very term "dravya" signifies dravyatva, i.e. "that which by nature, flows towards its modes". Substance is defined as follows: "That which, whilst it does not forsake its innate nature, is connected with (characterised by] origination, annihilation and stability [continuity or permanence] and which possesses qualities and modifications."5 In other words, apart from preserving its innate nature (svabhava or svarupa), which is unchanging or indestructible, the existent or substance is said to possess qualities or attributes (guna) and modes or modifications (paryaya) (gunaparyayavad drvyam)" and which is endowed with the triple character : origination, destruction, and stability (persistence) (utpad, vyaya, dhrauvya, yuktamsat).? The three (origination, destruction and stability or continuity) are inextricably linked so much so that there is no coming-into-existence (origination or creation) without destruction; no destruction devoid of origination; neither origination nor destruction without permanence, stability or what continues to be; and no permanence or continuance without creation and destruction. Thus, Acharya Kundakunda confirms the necessary concomitance (avinabhava) of origination, annihilation, and stability. 8 The inseparability of these three terms is further clarified as follows: "There is without substance no quality whatever, no modification."! In other words, in the absence of substance, there can be neither quality nor modification. There is also no substance without the mode and no mode without the substance. This point is put forward more forcefully by Siddhasen Divakara in the following words :