Jaina Philosophy Historical Outline

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

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186 Jain Philosophy in Historical Ởutline cause into the effect, e.g. the production of curd from milk. “Coming to the Jain system, we find that it posits over and above the perceptible world an infinite number of two utterly distinct types of subtle elements, one physical and the other conscious. The gross world is according to it only an effect (Kārya) or modification (pariņāma) of the subtle physical elements. The subtle physical elements of the Jain system are atomic in nature but they are far subtler than the atoms posited in the Arambhavāda. Even though an atomist, the Jaina conceives the atoms as constantly undergoing change (Pariņāmin) precisely in the manner of the Prādhana etc. of Pariņāmavāda; and the gross world is according to him but a transformation (rūpäntara) or modification (parināma) of these very atoms. Really speaking, the Jaina is a Parināma-vàdin. However, there is a difference between the Pariņāmavāda as advocated by the Sāmkhya-Yoga, old Vedānta, etc. and the same as advocated by the Jaina: In the Samkhya-Yoga system Pariņāmavāda has been applied to the physical elements alone while the unconscious elements have been left untouched thereby; on the other hand, in Bhartsprapanca etc. Pariņāmavāda has been applied to the conscious elements alone. As contrasted with these two, in Jainism Pariņāmavāda has been applied to the physical as well as conscious, gross as well as subtle; in one word, the Jaina Pariņāmavāda may be called as all comprehensive (sarva-vyāpaka) Pariņāma-vāda."'1
The Sāņkhya theory of knowledge, in its basic principles, has much in common with that of the Jains, since it accepts all the three independent sources of valid knowledge (Pramāņa), viz. perception, inference and testimony. Jainism also shares with the Sāmkhya the two kinds of perception, namely, nirvikalpa or indeterminate, arising at the first moment of contact between a sense and its object, and svavikalpa or determinate which is the result of the analysis, synthesis and interpretation of sense data. A distinction between empirical and transcendental perception is maintained both in the Sāmkhya and in Jainism. The Sāmkhya also seems to have contributed to the Jain tradition that transcendental perception is of both sorts, indeterminate as well as determinate. According to the Sāmkhya, the material cause of sense-organs is abhimāna which is kind of subtlesubstance (suksma-dravya) born of Prakrti.2 Jainism likewise maintains that the material cause of sense organs is a particular kind of
ISanghvi, ASILM, p. 12. *SK, XXV.