Jain Journal 1988 07

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

Page 32

JULY, 1988
atomism. Siddhasena Gani,14 Acarya Pujyapada, 15 Akalanka, 16 Vidyananda, 17 Haribhadra Suri, 18 Vinayavijaya,19 and other later Jainacaryas gradually developed it on a more scientific basis. They organized the entire system of disputes on Arambhavāda (Doctrine of Intransitive Causation) of the Nyaya-Vaisesika and Kşanika-paramānuvāda(Doctrine of Momentary Atom) of the Buddhists and those of other Indian schools of thought in their respective works.
The Jaina thinkers have retained the Buddhist tradition of skandha (molecule), while discarding the Nyaya-Vaisesika view of Avayavaavayavivāda (Doctrine of Constituent part and Composite whole) in formulating their concept of paramāņu (ultimate atom). It appears to have originated from the most primitive ideas about matter (pudgala). In Jaina philosophy pudgala (matter) is conceived as an eternal substance undetermined from the point of view of transformation of its quantity and quality. Material particles may combine into one substance and one material substance may disintegrate into many. There is atom-tradition side by side with ātmā-tradition, i.e., a sort of dualism of matter and spirit is advocated in Jaina metaphysics. Every material entity of the cosmic universe (loka) is constituted of atoms.
The Indian philosophical schools which have invented, developed and adopted the atomic theory by their speculations may thus be placed mainly in three groups. The first group is represented by Jaina philosophy, the second one by the Vaisesika and Nyaya systems of thought and the bhāşya (commentary) on the latter by Vatsyayana, and the Vaibhasikas and Sautrantikas of the Buddhist school and the last group of Indian atomism is represented by Prasastapada's bhāsya which is the oldest systematic exposition of the Vaisesika philosophy
14 Ibid. (Bhasya-tika). 15 Sarvartha-siddhi by Acarya Pujyapada, published by Bharatiya Jnanapith, Kasbi,
1955, ed. by Pandit Phulchand, avrtti, 1, ch. V. sutras 11, 14, 25, 27, 30, 33, 35, 36, 37. 16 Tattvartha-rajavartika by Akalankadeva, Jnanapith, Kashi, first edition, May,
1957, ed. by Pandit Mahendrakumar Jain; Bhag. II, ch. V, sutras, 11, 14, 25, 26,
27, 30, 33, 36, 37. 17 Tattvartha-sloka-vartika by Vidyananda, published by Agamodaya Samiti Series
No. 5, ed. by Pandit Manoharlal, Gandhinatharang Jaina Granthamala, Bombay,
1918, ch. V. sutras, 11, 14, 24, 25, 27, 30, 33, 34, 36, 37. 18 Haribhadriya-yrtti on Tattvarthadhigama-sutra of Umasvati, ch. V, sutras, 11, 24,
25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. Lokaprakasa by Vinayavijaya Gani, ed. by Pandit Motichand Odhavji Shah, published by Jivanchand Sakerchand Javeri, 1929, first edition, part I, sarga 1, sloka 21, p. 5.