Introducing Jainism

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

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INTRODUCING JAINISM
(anādi) and vast (niravadhi). To the Jains, the Universe is composed of two things : loka and aloka. In this division the nine cardinal principles (navatattva) and the six substances (şat padārtha) of Jainism are included. According to the Jains, there is nothing outside these divisions. In the Uttarādhyayana-sūtra (36.2) this constitution of the world is adumbrated :
jīvā ceva ajīvā ya, esa loe viyāhiel ajīva desam āgāse, aloe se viyāhiel/
"The living and the non-living beings constitute this world (loka), but the space (āgāsa), where only non-living being is found, is called the non-world (aloka)."
In the domain of loka (or lokāstikāya, as it is often called), all things (i.e. dravyas- substances) are classified into nine categories (navatattva) : The Pancāstikāya (verse 108) says
jīvājīva bhāvā punnam pāvam ca āsavam tesim/ samvara-nijjarā bandho mokkho ya havanti attha//
"The soul or living (jiva), non-living (ajīva), influx (äsrava), bondage (bandha), merit (punya), sin (pāpa), stoppage of influx (samvara), dissociation of karma (nirjarā) and emancipation (mokşa) are the nine principles."
The six substances (şat padārtha) as described in the Uttarādhyayana-sūtra (28.7) are as follows:
dhammo adhammo āgāsam kālo puggala-jantavo/ esa logo tti paņņatto jiņehim varadamsihim//
“Dharma (motion), adharma (motionless), space, time, matter and soul (are the six kinds of substances); they constitute this world as has been said by the Jinas who possess the best knowledge."
So, according to the Jains, this world is composed of the following: