Jaina Culture

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Page 56

CHAPTER III REALITY
Reality is possessed of origination, decay and permanence. Origination is the appearance of a new mode. For instance, the production of a pitcher from (the lump shape of) clay. Decay is the disappearance of the former mode. For example, the loss of the lump shape of clay in the production of the pitcher. Permanence is the essential nature of which there is no annihilation or origination. For instance, clay continues to exist in all its modes, such as the lump, the pitcher, the broken parts and so on.
Fundamental Substances :
The universe is composed of two types of substances : sentient and insentient. Souls are sentient as well as formless. Insentient substances are of two categories: with form and without form. Matter possesses form. Formless substances are four medium of motion, medium of rest, space and time. Thus, there are six fundamental substances constituting reality according to the Jainas: (1) soul, (2) matter, (3) medium of motion, (4) medium of rest, (5) space and (6) time.
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Soul:
The defining characteristic of soul (jtva) is consciousness. Intuition, knowledge etc. are its different forms. Since the soul is formless, it cannot be perceived by the senseorgans. We can know it by introspection and inference. There are infinite souls in the universe. A soul is not all pervasive. By contraction and expansion it is capable of occupying varying proportions of the countless space-points of the universe. It occupies space like the light of a lamp which can fill a small room as well as a big hall. It can