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Jainism As Metaphilosophy
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an extremely comprehensive term. For, it not merely incorporates a view of the nature of the universe but also a general philosophy of life. But for the presence of the latter element, the Jaina theory would have remained a mere intellectual construction of a world-view, - describing natural phenomena and analysing the laws which are at work.
While reference to matter constitutes the hard-core analysis of one
tof Reality, the physical universe, reference to consciousness points to the other aspect, the non-physical. The implicit suggestion here is that leaving either of the aspects out of account is tantamount to taking a one-sided view of Reality, and hence arriving at an incomplete picture of Rcality.
The uncompromising stand of rcalism that Jainism takes is evident from its identification of Reality with Existence. The emphatic realistic stance of the tradition is further evident from its maintaining that Existcnce is Real. The assertion that the individual soul, matter, space, time and the principles of motion and rest found in the universe are all real? is indeed a clear indication that both the conscious and the non-conscious aspects of Reality (jiva and ajiva) do exist. The six ultimate categories listed above and referred to as the two aspects of Reality are also denoted by the term dravya (Substance).
Since all the six categories are existent and are capable of assuming different modes and exhibiting varying qualities, Jainism defines dravya as follows: "That which maintains its identity while manifesting its various qualities and modifications and which is not different from Salta (existence) is called dravya."}
The three aspects of Substance just mentioned need to be reflected about to get at the Jaina theory of Reality. The term sal (existence) signifies the substantiality of the world outside the perceiver's mind. The world of matter and non-matter is not a more construction of the mind. It has its independent existence in rerum natura. This is perhaps what is meant by the statement: “Essentially, substance docs not change."4
The 'qualities' and 'modifications' refer to the appearance-aspect of Reality. They point to the eternality-aspect of Substance in so far as Substance is regarded neither as created nor as destroyed. The essential nature of clay remaining unchanged despite its possible modes (shapes it
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