Fundamentals Of Jainism

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Veer Nirvan Bharti

Page 18

CHAPTER 1
THE TATTVAS (ara)
The first two of the tattvas deal with the nature and enumera-- tion of the eternal realities, elements or substances of nature, and the remaining five with the interaction between two of these substances, namely, soul, or spirit, and matter. There are su simple substances in existence, namely, Spirit, Matter, Time, Space, Dharma and Adharma Of these spirit or soul-substance, called jîra in Jainism, is to be distinguished from the remaining five, called ajira, on account of the quality of intelligence with which it is endowed and of which the other substances are devoid. A substance is to be distinguished from a body, or thing, inasmuch as the former is a simple element or reality while the latter is a compound of one or more substances or atoms. There may be a partial or total destruction of a body or thing, but no substance can ever be annihilated. Substance is the substrate of qualities which cannot exist apart from it, for instance the quality of fluidity, moisture, and the like only exist in water and cannot be conceived separately from it. It is neither possible to create nor to destroy a substance, which means that there never was a time when the existing substances were not, nor shall they cycr cease to be. From another point of view substance is the subject of modifications. Every substance has its characteristic function, as for instance the special function of jîva is to know. Every substance is either atomistic, that is composed of atons, or is only one, indivisible expanse of existence. Dharnia, Adharmia and Space have no parts in their structure, that is to say are non-atomistic, while jîva, Matter and Time consist of an infinite number of individuals, atoms and units respectively. There is an infinity of jīvas (souls) each of which is an individual in its own self, and possesses the potentiality of perfect or right faith, unlimited