Jaina Ethics

Author(s): Dayanand Bhargav
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 33

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Faina Ethics creates all, time destroys all; time is waking among sleeping people. Time can be deceived by none.” This is an absolutistic (ekānta) view according to which everything is determined by time.
Obviously, time cannot be the sole factor in controlling our misery or happiness. Otherwise, how is it that some people are happy and others unhappy at the same time ? Time is something unconscious and cannot be held responsible for miseries and happiness which obviously result from our conscious efforts.
While rejecting this theory for such obvious reasons, the force of time-factor should be fully recognised. It is one of the factors affecting our condition. It is not easy to nullify the effects of old age, for which time is primarily responsible. In every walk of life, we do watch that time plays an important part. The mistake lies in believing that everything else is impotent before time.
(ii) Nature B
Nature stands for inherent properties of things. Some philosophers, called Svabhāvavādins, hold that events are determined by their own inherent nature. They argue out that if nature is not the cause then 'who makes the sharpness of thorns, and who creates variety in deer and birds'? Therefore, they establish that everything behaves according to its own nature.2
This school of thought denies any freedom of action. A thief must remain a thief for he is so by nature. This leaves no scope for human effort. We become puppets in the hands of our nature. In fact, the Jainas believe that nature, which does influence our conduct to a remarkable degree, is of our own making and we can unmake or modify it by our efforts. If the Svabhāvavādins want to refute the existence of any ultramundane controller of this universe, the Jainas join hand
1. Gommațasāra, Karmakānda, 879. २. को करइ कंटयाणं तिक्खत्तं मियविहंगमादीणं । विविहत्तं तु सहाओ इदि संव्वपि य सहाओत्ति ॥
-Gommațasāra, karmakānda, 883.