________________
The General Conception of Knowledge
above, the Sthānāngasūtra expressing the soul as one.1 Samantabhadra also states all things as one on the basis of existence.2 There is no reason why the one type of universality should generate the idea of oneness and the other that of similarity. Nothing can unite two other things which itself is not one. Two links would require another link for their own unity. If the link is one and exists in both of them why the united members should not be admitted as one in relation to that link?
Dr. S. Mukerji gives the following remarks on it: “According to Akalanka, Vidyānanda and later logicians upto Yasovijaya, universality is rather a qualitative aspects of the individuals, numerically different in different individuals. The unity of universals is set forth as more or less a conceptual figment, which they seek to equate with similarity. Individuals belonging to a class are similar to one another and the similarity though numerically different, is accorded the status of universal. Thus the universal qua similarity is numerically different discrete in different individuals and so the universal as a unitive self identical principle asserted to be an ontological fiction."'S
We may assign one reason to the above differentiation. Ontologically, the numerical difference is permanent. The number of atoms or the souls will remain the same as it is or as it was. No individual atom or soul-unit loses its individuality, inspite of phenomenal modifications. On the other hand the temporal state is not a permanent feature. It appears and disappears leaving nothing behind. The individuality of a state is not permanent individuality. So, it does not obstruct the idea of oneness which is related with a permanent aspect. The individuality related with number is a permanent individuality. It does stand as an obstruction in the idea of oneness. So, in this case the universality means similarity and not unity.
1. Sthānanga 1 2. Āptammāṁsā 3. Non-Absolutism
For Private & Personal Use Only
Jain Education International
www.jainelibrary.org
