Concept of Paryaya in Jain Philosophy

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

Page 67

The Concept of Paryaya and Jaina Way of Life 55 If as is claimed by the Vedantin, reality is an unchanging permanency there is no scope for life, no scope for samsara, no necessity for moksa, or moksa-marga either. The whole religious framework will thus appear to be superfluous and useless, as it is based upon unreality. Change must be accepted as real, if life is to be real and if samsara is accepted to be as real. It is only then that we can appreciate the utility of piety or dharma, and religious doctrines contributing to the salvation of the soul. Similarly, the Buddhistic emphasis of change alone being real is also one-sided. The Buddhist doctrines of ksanik-vada (momentariness of reality, which denies the permanent underlying reality of the Self or nonSelf) and anatmavada (denial of the existence of a substantial Self or atman), are also lacking in a complete comprehension of reality. Since there is no permanent Self, there is no responsible person who can be taken to be author of his conduct. "Moral conduct and its evolution would become meaningless. The person who did the act passes away and a different person comes to enjoy the fruits thereof. There is no justification why a different personality should enjoy the fruits of the karma by another distinct personality. Ethical responsibility loses its meaning and value in this anatmavada."42 Jaina philosophy combines both aspects of continuity and change in its system when it describes reality as ever changing while retaining its sub-stratum or permanence which forms the foundation, the basis or the core of change or flux. The Self, according to Jainism, is thus a reality which maintains its stability through a continuous process of change. The Jaina view of Reality is intimately connected to the Jaina way of life. A substance does develop derivative characters (vibhavas). However, amidst derivative characters of a substance we do not miss the innate nature of its existence, which is its svabhava or svarupa. Tadbhavavyayam nityam43, i.e. a dravya never leaves or gives up its svabhava (nature) and gets transformed into something else. Thus, while some of the destructive karmas can create hindrance to the power of knowledge and intuition, cause limitation and distortion of the faculties and capacities of the soul, and may even be completely obscuring (sarvaghatin), they are not able to destroy the basic capacity or essential characteristics of the Self completely or totally. Hence the conscious being cannot be reduced to an unconscious entity. The analogy of the sun