Jaina Philosophy Historical Outline

Author(s): Narendra Nath Bhattacharya
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

Page 146

The Sophisticated Stage 125
Our bodies and the objects of nature are such compounds of material atoms. Mind, speech and breath are also products of matter.1. The masses of matter constituting the world necessarily have to interpenetrate each other, and the units of the one must be touched by those of others. In this process the units of time are included, placed on the same level with the others and considered constant. Contraction and expansion of matter stand for different densities with the same number of its units. We propose to discuss these points more elaborately in the section on atomism.
It is therefore evident that the first and the second items of the nine fundamental categories of truth, namely, Jiva and Ajiva, were originally meant for a basic understanding of the cosmos. Although these two bear stamps of dogmatic assertions, the a priori principles by which they have been characterised can easily be detected. Early Jain thinkers wanted to understand and explain life and universe in terms of certain observed principles. They first made a distinction between animate (jiva) and inanimate (ajiva) objects and then made a thorough classification of all such objects. This was purely a scientific approach. In course of this investigation the concepts of space, time, motion, rest and matter were also taken into account and their character and qualities were analysed. Space was supposed to embrace the perceptible universe and beyond, whereas the remaining four to concern with the expansion of the world.
Scientific Enquiries: Classification of Jiva
We have seen that the early Jain thinkers in order to explain the mysteries of life and universe, first made a distinction between the animate (jiva) and inanimate (ajiva) objects. These two categories were further analysed and classified and there is reason to believe that the original classification was made from a purely scientific point of view. This was made solely on the basis of the number of sense-organs the Jiva was supposed to possess.
Ekendriya or one-sensed Jivas possess only the sense of touch. They are subdivided into earth-bodies, water-bodies, fire-bodies, airbodies and vegetative-bodies. Evidently these are being connected with the aforesaid categories of elements. Early Jain observers saw the emergence of life everywhere from the elements of earth, water, fire, and air. Life manifested in the vegetative forces became a special
1TTDS, V, 19-24.