________________
which includes the three processes of creation, destruction and permanence is a dravya. 3. That which has fundamental properties (guna) and modes or variants (paryāya) is a dravya. These three attributes are not contradictory. That which exists undergoes the processes of creation, destruction, and permanence; and that which undergoes the processes of creation, destruction, and permanence has fundamental properties (guna) and modes or variants (paryāya). The gunas in a dravya are permanent whereas the paryāyas are created and destroyed every moment. In a dravya all these three signs can be seen every moment. Dravya is never extinct; it never looses its qualities of creation, destruction, and permanence; and it is never devoid of its attributes and modes. Without creation there is no destruction and without destruction there is no creation. Also in absence of a permanent state of a thing creation and destruction are meaningless. In other words creation and destruction is of a thing only
Creation, destruction and permanence in a thing are simultaneous phenomena. For example the destruction of a lump of clay is the creation of pot and vice versa; this is also the permanence of clay. Also the lighting of lamp and spreading of light or extinguishing of lamp and spreading of darkness happen at the same time. In the same way creation and destruction happen at the same moment but the basic material remains the same in both the states. Another example is bending a finger; at the same moment bent state is created (gaining), straightness is destroyed (losing) and the finger remains the same or permanent (retaining). These three parameters are coexistent.
CATEGORIES OF DRAVYA
There are six categories of dravya (entities) - Jīva, Pudgala, Dharma, Adharma, Ākāśa, and kāla. The universe is made up of these six entities and this number is always constant. The number of entities is neither increased nor reduced. The kinds of entities mentioned in other philosophies are all included in these six.
Jīva dravya - Primarily the entities are of two kind cetana (living) and acetana (non-living). Jīva dravya is the living entity and the remaining five are non-living. Vyavahāra naya is phenomenal or conventional viewpoint. And Niścaya naya is noumenal or unconventional or transcendental viewpoint. From the phenomenal
275
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
