Introducing Jainism

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

Page 51

INTRODUCING JAINISM
planted in the soil it must necessarily break the shell and sprout out. This is the first step in its attempt to grow. Then the sprouting seed further undergoes change and some portion of it comes out seeking the sunlight and another goes down into the soil, will undergo enormous changes into the root system. Similarly, the portion that shoots up into the air and sunlight will also undergo enormous changes, of sprouting out in tendrils and leaves finally resulting in branches and stem of the plant all engaged in the task of procuring nourishment with the help of sunlight. At every stage thus we find change, the old leaves being shed off and the new sprouts · · coming in. This seems to be the general law of nature. The life of the seed does never die; it lives even though it is being constantly changed, and this is what is sat. .
ii) Anekāntavāda
What is true of a plant, is also true with regard to the basic or fundamental thing of Nature. In this respect, I believe, Jaina conception of Reality is different from the other Indian philosopies. Some philosophers would only emphasize permanency as the nature of Reality, while others would emphasize change alone as the characteristic of Reality. The one-sided emphasis either on permanency or change is rejected by Jaina thinkers. They consider this system as anekāntavāda, a system which clings to a partial aspect of the reality. So they call their own as anekāntavāda, that is to say, a system of philosophy which maintains that Reality has multifarious aspects and that a complete comprehension of such a nature must necessarily take into consideration all the different aspects through which Reality manifests itself. Hence the Jaina darsona is technically called Anekāntavāda, often translated as "Indefiniteness of Being". It tells us that any material thing continues for ever to exist as matter, and this may assume any shape and quality. Thus mịttika (clay) as a substance may be regarded as permament, but the form of a jar of clay (ghața-paţadi), or its colour, may come into existence and perish.
Anekāntavāda describes the nature of a dravya (substance). Anta means pakşa, or koți or dharma, another