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The Jaina world of Non-living
A. This is not correct. This point will lead to the possibility of loss of the law of causality. The effect will be produced by contact of any cause. However, it is not the reality. The fabric is produced with definite and specific causes of fibres, weaver, shuttle etc. leading to prove the contention of many-factored effects. Similarly, there may be motion and rest in entities with specific factors along with the above realities. Moreover, a single factor cannot cause the contact. The contact requires many factors. The quality of contact alone cannot be the cause of effect as it will involve loss of proposition that factors cause effect. 34. Further, if it is postulated that an entity is non-existing as it is non perceived directly, it will contradict the tenets of all the disputants. For example, all disputant systems postulate direct and indirect objects. The Buddhas point out that each of the form-atom (colour atom) is suprasensual. However, its aggregates are poly-atomic and, therefore, senseperceptible. The mind and the mental processes like knowledge and feelings etc. are supra-sensual. The Sānkhyas postulate that the manifested elements of earth etc. are transformed forms of their primordial matter and they are sense-perceptible. However, the causative three qualities of essence (Sattva) etc. and the supra-soul (Parmātmā) are non-perceptible or indirectly knowable. The Vaiseșikas opine that the colour is produced and perceived in grossness and multiply composites. Thus, the gross earth etc. produced due to aggregation of many atoms and their inherent qualities like colour, number, measure, separation, combination and division etc. are non-perceptible. If it is postulated that the realities of medium of motion and rest are non-existing because of lack of their perceptibility like the sticks etc., it will lead to the possibility of non-existence of consciousness (vijnāna of the Buddhas ), qualities of essence etc. (Sattva etc. of Sānkhyas) and atoms etc. (of Vaišeșikas) as they are non-perceptible. This will be contrary to everyone's own basic tenets. If their existence is inferred on the basis of their effects, what harm would be done for accepting the existence of realities of motion and rest? 35. Moreover, the properties of livingness, death, pain, pleasure, gain and loss etc. are normally imperceptible by human beings but they are
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