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JAIN JOURNAL
Vol. XXXVI
No. 2 October
2001
THE CONCEPT OF PARYAYA AND JAINA WAY OF LIFE
DR. JAGDISH PRASAD JAIN "SADHAK"*
In order to understand the Jaina way of life, we have to understand the Jaina view of Reality in general and the concept of Paryāya in particular. "The object (of knowledge) indeed, consists of substance, the substances are said to have their essence in qualities. And through these are the modifications."] Substance is Dravya The very term "dravya" signifies dravyatva, i.e. "that which by nature, flows towards its modes". The English word "substance” is suggestive of something unchanging behind the changes. The substance is constituted of both permanent and ever changing. The defining characteristic or laksana of dravya is sat (existent) (sat dravyalaksanam).2 The existent or substance is said to posses or endowed with qualities or attributes (guna) and accompanied by modifications (paryāya) (gunaparyāyavad dravyam) and which is coupled with origination, destruction and permanence (utpāda-vyaya-dhrauvya-yuktam sat).4 The three are inextricably linked so much so that there can be no creation without destruction, no destruction without creation, no creation and destruction without persistence and no persistence without creation and destruction. The inseparability of these three terms is explicitly stated in these words : "There is without substance no quality whatever no modification."5 Though inseparable, they are nonetheless distinct: this is clearly asserted in these words: "The substance is not the quality, and the quality is not the substance, indeed for .... this a-tad
(Paper presented at the seminar on "The Concept of Paryāya" organised by the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi, in collaboration with Adhyātma Sädhanā Kendra, New Delhi, 18-20 March 2001) Kundakunda, The Essence of Scriptures: Pravacanasāra, 93 (Book II. I). Umāsvāmi (Umāsvāti), Tattvārtha-Sūtra, 5.29. Tattvärtha Sūtra, n. 2, 3.38. Ibid., 5.30. Pravacanasāra, n. 1, 110 (Book II. 18).
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