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JULY, 1976
the most important metaphysical views may be diciphered. A dravya is one which has some origination, decay and continuity.1 It appears paradoxical to the eye of the absolutist or the metaphysical reductivist. But it is a matter of common experience that every thing somehow comes into being, continues identically and passes on to decay. Whereas continuity suggests some form of permanent existence the other two characteristics suggest that a dravya is never free from change. This appears to incorporate the truths of Bauddha and Sankhya theory of change and the theory of continuance of other systems. It is to be seen whether this viewpoint can be upheld upto the last i.e. upto the achievement of mokşa.
Every existent must be either a Jiva or Ajiva or a resultant of the two. The concept of mokşa is relevant only in the context of Jiva, i.e., it is pointless to speak of mokṣa of the Ajiva. So, our main discussion will centre round the Jiva. Jiva has been characterized by upayoga amürtatva (formlessness), kartặtva (agency), svadehaparimāņatva (extension same as its own body), bhoga (enjoyment of the fruits of karma), existence in samsāra, siddhatva and ürdhagatitva (characteristic of upward motion). These characteristics of Jiva sharply points out the distinction of the Jaina view.
It may be clearly seen, as has been pointed out by Brahmadeva, that the Jaina view oi Jīva differentiates itself from that of Carvaka, Nyaya, Samkhya, Mimansa, Bauddha, Sadasiva, etc. systems. He thinks that the author of the Dravya Samgraha has incidentally mentioned this difference by implication. This sort of refutation of rival views is very common in the tradition of Indian thinking in which the philosophical method is critical. It starts by faithfully presenting the views of the rival systems (pūrva pakşa) and proceeds to the conclusion (siddhānta) by refutting (khandana) them. The characteristics ascribed to the Jiva are diverse and they point out the basic realistic touch of the Jaina system. Though the infinite number of Ilvas may not be matters of pratyakşa, they are asserted to exist. This point goes against the Carvaka view which does not accept anything beyond pratyakşa. The Jiva has upayoga as its constituent. Upayoga is a resultant consciousness and is of two kinds darsana and jñāna. By defining Jiva in terms of upayoga not only the
1 Cf. Umasvati, Tattvarthadhigama Sutra: utpatti-vyaya-dhrauvyayukta sat. 2 Nemicandra Siddhanta-Cakravarti, Dravya Samgraha, ed by S. C. Ghosal,
Central Jaina Publishing House, Agra, 1917, pp. 4-5, Sloka 2: jivah upayogamayah amurtah karta svadehaparimanah bhokta samsarasthah siddhah sa visvasa
urdhagatih. 3 Brahmadeva, Dravya Samgraha Vrtti, pp. 4-7.
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