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Bhasya (c. 7th A.D.). Some of the Jaina philosophers regarded time as an independent substance while the others did not. But subsequently Digambara and Svetambara both the traditions synthesized the concept of Astikaya and Dravya and both of them agreed to accept time as Anastikāya, i.e., an independent unextended substance.
The idea of Pañcāstikāya is, distinctly, an original concept of the Jainas. We do not find it in any other ancient philosophical system, except that in the ancient times Astikaya has a broad and general meaning, denoting anything that exists (Asti); but in due course of time there developed a distinction between Astikaya and Anastikāya and the former was taken to be an extended substance in space. Technically speaking Astikāya is a multi spatial substance (Bahu-Pradesi-Dravya), i.e., a substance which is extended in space.
PANCĀSTIKAYA
The Jaina concept of Saddravya (theory of six substances) has developed from this very idea of Pañcāstikāya by adding time as an independent substance in the earlier concept of Pañcastikāya. The concept of Saddravya came into existence during the c. 1st-2nd A.D. Thus the concept of Pañcāstikāya is definitely a very old concept because we find its reference in the Parsva chapter of Isibhasiyaim, one of the oldest scriptures. Till the period of Acārānga and the first Śrutaskandha of Sūtrakṛtānga we do not find any reference to this concept so far as the Mahāvīra's tradition is concerned. Thus, we can say that the concept basically belongs to Parsva tradition. When the followers of Parsva were included in Mahāvīra's order, their concept of Pañcāstikāya, along with some other concepts, was also accepted in Mahāvīra's tradition. Bhagavatisūtra for the first time mentions that the world is made of Dharma, Adharma, Ākāsa, Jiva and Pudgala. Isibhāsiyaim only refers to the five Astikaya s but has
Jainism and its History 150
