Jaina World of Non Living

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 56

The Jaina world of Non-living
seat etc. The medium of rest (and motion) is the cause of order in the universe. In the absence of medium of rest, the moving realities will not have any rule regarding their movements. Under the conditions of its pervasiveness, there could not be specific order in the universe. Hence, it is reasonable to place the reality of medium of rest after the medium of motion. 30. Moreover, the medium of rest is the counterpart of the medium of motion as it causes rest. Hence, it has been placed after the medium of motion. 31. The space has been placed after these two as they are pervaded in it. The mediums of rest and motion pervade in the space. They define the space properly. The occupied universe is that space which is pervaded by these two realities. The other space is known as unoccupied space (nonuniverse) in the world. Hence, the reality of space has been placed after them. 32. Moreover, just as the medium of rest and motion are nonmaterial because of absence of attributes of colour etc., space is also nonmaterial. This point also places space after these two realities.
The mattergic entities are found accommodated in space, hence they are placed after the space. 34. Q. The space should be placed first as it is the substratum for the other five realities like the medium of rest and motion etc. A. This is not correct because the order of the universe is beginningless. It is not the rule that the space is the substratum and other realities are the substrates in the beginningless universe. This is the natural state of the universe. Thus, space is not the substratum. The substratum-substrateness or order of priority-posteriority occurs in cases where the entities have beginnings or origins like plums and pots etc. 35. Q. If substratum-substrateness between space and other realities is not accepted, it would be contrary to the canons. They state :
"The space is self-sustained, the thin-air-layer is based on space, the dense-air-layer is based on thin-air-layer and the thin-air-layer is based on dense-water-layer."
33.