________________
A Hand Book of Jainology
being worn by somebody; being red; being blank; being cheap. being in the form of a shirt; or being in the possession of somebody are examples of Paradravyaparyaya (extraneous modification).
40
From this, one point becomes evident. The state of a thing is never independent or alone but it depends upon some other dravya or substance as its prop. The dravya or the substance is existent and so it assumes different states and becomes absorbed in those states. For this reason, even electric power and magnetic power etc. also depend upon pudgal dravyas (inert substances). Therefore, the dravya or the original substance is ever-existent; it is existent in all the three phases of time, namely, the past, the present and the future. Attributes and modifications constitute its nature to undergo transformations.
Just as the pudgal dravyas (inert substances) possess powers and potentialities, even the atmadravya or the soul possesses its own independent powers and potentialities. Because we do not turn towards our souls and contemplate on them, we cannot understand this vital truth about the soul. If not, what are, the highest level of scholarship, boundless and incomparable strength, extraordinary spiritual excellence, tremendous spiritual austerities and bewildering forgiveness? All these are the powers of the soul. Moreover, the soul has other potentialities like magical power, the power of acquiring knowledge, the power of flying through the sky, the power of attaining Kevaljnan (the highest level of knowledge) and the power of attaining salvation. The soul possesses all these incomparable suprasensual powers and potentialities.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
