Jain Journal 1969 10

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

Page 44

OCTOBER, 1969
87
water. Adharma is the exact opposite of dharma. It assists pudgalas and jivas to stay, as a shade assists travellers to rest.62 Kāla in Jainism is divided into two categories, vyāvahārika and paramārthika. The former helps to change substance into their modes and the latter helps continuity. Time is not an appearance but a reality since we experience it in the form of hours, minutes, etc.63
There are no references to dharma, adharma, and kāla dravyas in Pali literature. The dharmāstikāya is almost similar to the paticcasamuppada (dependent origination) of the Buddhists, but the adharmāstikāya is quite unknown to them. The kāladravya is recognized in Buddhism in the form of "prajñaptimātra” in the Atthaśālini. 64
(5) Akāśa
Akāśa in Jainism provides space for all substances to exist. It is said to be anantapradesī (possessing infinite pradeśas), amūrtika (having a non-physical factor), and niskriya (inactive), and sāvayavž (having parts). It is of two kinds, lokākāśa and alokākāśa. The former is co-extensive with the dravyas, whereas the latter is devoid of this character. Loka consists of three divisions, urdhaloka (upper world), madhyaloka (middle world), and adholoka (lower world). They are respectively the abodes of celestial beings, men and other creatures, and the inmates of hells. Beyond this lokākāśa, there is alokākāśa which is said to be eternal, infinite, formless, without activity and perceptible only by the omniscient.65
A reference is made to the Jaina conception of ākāśa in the Tattvasangraha by the Mimamsakas. Santataksita raised a question against the Mimamsaka view regarding the eternity of words like ghața (jar). He says that if auditory organ is ākāśa, several objections could be brought against this theory. For instance, being all pervasive, there would be equality of contact with all sounds and all organs. How then could the answer be provided on the basis of the auditory organ ? The Mimamsakas try to reply that ākāśa cannot be regarded as being without parts, and therefore it is the auditory organ. They support their view by quoting the views of the Jainas and the Sankhyas both of whom have the ideal of the auditory organ consisting of parts (jainairarhataih sān. khyaiśca niravavayavasya vyomah nişiddhatvāt).66
62 Pancastikaya, 96, Eng. Trans. 63 Ibid., 107-108 ; Dravyasangraha, 21. 64 Atthasalini, 1.3.16.
Dravya Sangraha, 19-20. Eng. Trans. Tattvasangraha Panjika, p. 605, 2183-84. Cf. Pancastikaya, 97 ff ; DS. 19 ff.