Book Title: Jainas Concept of Substance
Author(s): N K Singh
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

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Page 4
________________ Jainas Concept of Substance 33 (Pradeśas) and from the transcendental standpoint it is said to possess only one pradeśa. Medium of Rest (Adharma) : This is the principle of rest and pervades the whole uni verse. This is the auxilary cause of rest to the soul and matter, Adharma has been defined as a cause of helping the pudgalas and Jiva which are at rest, in taking rest, just as earth, which is at rest, helps those who want to stay and take rest. Like dharma, it has also absolute absence of taste, colour, smell, sound and touch and so it is formless. It is because of this principle that bodies in motion are enabled to enjoy a state of rest Dharma is a substance which provides the conditions for the movement of other substances, while remaining unmoved. Adharma, on the contrary, is the condition that helps the various substances to return to a restful state from their mobility. in the same way a tree helps a traveller to stop and rest in its shade. In Jainism these two are considered to be metaphysical categories and in Hinduism they are considered to be ethical principles. Dharma is itself motionless and it helps the movements of those which are in motion. Similarly the 'adharm' is motionless and helps in the stay of those which want to take rest, Space : Space is infinite, eternal and imperceptible. All substa nces except time have extension and extension is afforded only by space. Space is eternal pervasive, and formless substance which provides room for the existence of all extended substances. Though imperceptible, its existence is inferred from the fact that substances which are extended can exist only in some place. Thus space is a necessary condition for the existence of all extended subtances. The Jainas distinguish between two kinds of space, the one which is charactrised by the Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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