Book Title: Ethical Doctrines in Jainism
Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

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Page 51
________________ METAPHYSICAL BASIS OF JAINA ETHICS 29 the sine qua non of the movement of Jīvas and Pudgala by its mere existence, just as water assists in the spontaneous movement of fish by its mere presence and not as the wind which has the capablity to develop activity in certain things. Similarly, Adharmāstikāya does not persuade Jiva and Pudgala in motion to stand still, but becomes the passive condition when they of their own accord discontinue to move, just as the shadow of a tree does not persuade a traveller to take rest under it. Thus neither Dharmāstikāya originates motion, nor Adharmāstikāya stops it. Both of them are non-active conditions. Besides, these two principles are also responsible for the demarcation of Lokākāśa and Alokākāśa, inasmuch as they make possible the existence of Jīva and Pudgala only in Lokākāśa. Besides, the residence of the Siddhas at the summit of the world also proves that space cannot account for motion and rest and the different principles like Dharma and Adharma must needs be assumed. KĀLA: We have frequently made reference to the underlying assumption of the whole Jaina philosophy that, though reality is incessantly subject to mutation, it sustains its identical character. Thus everyone of the substances without exception is credited with origination, destruction and persistence. In the substances like Dharma, Adharma, Ākāśa, liberated soul and an atom of matter, the qualities are continuously changing in themselves. The experience of change, however, in the mundane soul and in the gross matter is omnipresent and this is of necessity to be accounted for and should not be speculatively condemned as mere illusion. In view of this, the Jainas realistically confer an existential status on 'time', and calls it substance to answer for the experienced change, just as Dharma, Adharma and Akāśa are calculated to throw light on what may be called motion, rest and the providing of room.? Kant's statement is worthy to be noted when he affirms that it is impossible to emancipate ourselves from the spatial and temporal ways of thinking and speaking despite our best endeavours; but the Jaina, though honouring his thesis, refuses to acquiesce in the fact that space and time are contributed by sensibility, since according to him they are revealed in experience and are objectively ontologically true. Just as space is its own support, so real time is conceived to be assisting its own change or modification 1 Pañca. 85, 88. and Comm. Amộta. 2 Ibid 86. 3 Pañcā. 87. 4 Ibid. 92, 93 and Comm. Amfta. 5 Prava. Comm. Ampta. II. 1. 6 Niyama. 33. 7 Niyama. 30. Jain Education International For Personal & Private Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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