Jainism

Author(s): Herbert Warren
Publisher: Divine Knowledge Society

Page 24

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JAINISM
Substance has now been defined, and each definition is applicable not only to matter but also to spiritual substance or soul. The next thing to introduce is the natures of substance. What are its natures?
NATURES OF SUBSTANCE
There are two kinds of natures found in all substance. Any substance, any real, concrete, existing thing or being can be looked upon in a general way or in a particular way; that is to say, it has natures in common with other things (samanya svabhava), and at the same time it has natures peculiar to itself (visesha svabhava). For instance, this book is matter, in common with all other material things; and at the same time it is a particular matter, namely, paper.
According to Jainism there is no such thing as matter (pudgala) or any substance (dravya) only in general; wherever there is matter (pudgala) it is matter (pudgala) of a particular kind, paper for instance, not stone; or wherever there is substance (dravya) it is substance (dravya) of a particular kind, matter (pudgala) for instance, not space (akasa), space is substance (see page 12).
Of the general natures of substance, one is existence (astitva); another is knowableness (prameyatva). This latter differentiates Jainism from Kant's philosophy: according to Jainism things are knowable.
The general natures are always everlasting; and are not analysable. Other natures common to all substance are the fact of being in one sense permanent, uncreate, and indestructible (nitya samanya svabhava); and the fact of For Private & Personal Use Only