Indian Philosophy

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 56

48
The Nature and the Cause of the World
earthy effect are earthy atoms, those of a watery effect watery atoms, and so on and so forth. However, the huge infinity of earthy atoms, even while akin to one another qua something earthy, are absolutely different from one another individually and retain in themselves all those qualities which are possible in an earthy atom substance. According to the doctrine of original creation, the huge infinity of the four types of atoms-viz, earthy, watery, fiery, and airy - are supposed to be the originating cause of the physical world while at the same time eternal elements like ether, direction, time too have found place in the physical world. This then is the Vaiseșika tradition which is one among such ones as posita multiplicity of elements in the form of an originating cause. The Jaina Viewpoint Regarding The Nature and the Cause of the World
There is also another such thought-current as considers about the world by positiog a multiplicity of elements in the form of its originating cause.lo This thought-current is kaown by the name of Jaina tradition.' Its submission is that the non-conscious world is of the form of four astikāyas. Here the element ether ( =ākāśa ) is a single one as is also according to the Vaiseșika system. However, as regards the nature of atom the thought-current in question is altogether different from the doctrine of original creation maintained by the Vaišesika system. According to the Jaina tradition, atoms are of course hugely infinite in number, but they exbibit no basic difference like being earthy, being watery etc.; thus depending on the occasioning circumstance any atom whatsoever can assu. me any form whatsoever. That is to say, the very same atom which once assumed the form of earth can, when the concered causal aggregate changes assume the form of water, fire or air as well; in other words, there obtains among atom no qualitative difference whatsoever. Another distinguishing point is to the effect that the capacities to exhibit colour, smell, taste and touch are commonly present in each and every atom and that depending on occasioning circumstance they only assume so many forms. Thus it is not the case that some from among the capacities to exhibit colour, smell,
10 The Jaina tradition posits two substances called dharmästikāya and adharmāstikāya.
The function of dharmāstikāya is to be of use in motion, that of adharmāstikāya to be of use in stationing. These two substances are comparable to two constituentunits of pradhāna posited by Sáňkhya. Thus rajoguņa, being mobile, ever remains in motion. It keeps in motion the effects produced by prakrti while the function of tamoguna is to control motion. (Sankhyakārikā 13 ) In this connection the following kārikās of isvarakrsna are worthy of literal comparison :
Dharmena gamanam ürdhvam gamanam adahstād bhavaty adharmena / Jñānena cäpavargo viparyayād isyate bandhaḥ 1/44/1 Ajivakāya dharmadharmakasapidgalah (1) Dravyẫni jiyās ca 12 Gatisthityupagraho dhasınādharmayorupakāraḥ (171 -Tattvärtha, chapter 5