Jain Journal 1998 04

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

Page 26

116
JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXXII, No. 4 April 1998
of reality propounded by the Jaina philosophers. The sole warrant for the existence of one and many, unity and diversity, is experience which vouches for such a character of reality. Thus, Mahāsatta will be associated with its opposite, namely, Avāntarasattā.? It may again be pointed out that this Mahāsattā is not an independent something as may be conceived, but is invariably accompanied by its opposite.8 Kundakunda holds the nature of existence as one, immanent in the totality of substances constituting the universe, comprehending and summarizing the universe, having infinite modifications, indicative of the triple characteristics of origination, destruction, and persistence and in the last as associated with the charateristics opposite to those
ed above. Hence unity, duality, and plurality are inseparably and inevitably involved in the structure of reality.
By recognising both Jiva and pudgala as substances Jainism steers clear of the two extremes of materialism and idealism which are radically opposed to each other. Materialism considers the universe as rooted in matter, while idealism imagines the mind or spirit to the fundamental and primary. The former lays stress on the recognition of the reality of matter and considers the mind to be an incident or accompaniment; the latter affirms that mind or spirit is to be reckoned as real and matter just an appearance. But according to Jainism, both matter and spirit are only partially true, and neither is warrantable unless experience is allowed to be robbed of its significance.
Notwithstanding the mutual interpenetration of the six Dravyas and the accommodative nature of each, they never part with their original nature. 10 This statement is indicative of the fact that these Dravyas are incapable of transgressing their fixed number which is six. Therefore, this reduction or multiplication is an impossibility.11 With the solitary exception of Kāla Dravya, the remaining five are termed as Pancāstikāya for the simple reason of possessing many Pradesas, 12The word 'Kāya' should be understood only to connote '
many Prādesas. 13 Jiva, Dharma and Adharma separately own innumerable Pradesas; Akasa possesses infinite ones; Kāla, one; but Pudgala possesses numberable, and infinite Pradesas.l4 All the Dravyas except 7. Panca. comm. Amrata. 8 8. Pancadhyayi. 1. 15 9. Panca. 8 10. Ibid 7 11. Sarvartha V. 4 12. panca. comm. Amrta. 22 Panca 102; Parva II. 43; Niyama. 34. 13. Sarvartha. V I. 14. Dravya 25; Tsu. V. 8, 9, 10; Niama 35, 36. The Space occupied by an
atom is called a Pradeśa.