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substance undergoes changes, mode also undergoes changes. When qualities are regarded as the modes (paryāya) of a substance, changes of qualities and transformations also become part of the modes. When we say the sense organ grasps the thing a question arises: which sense organ grasps substance (dravya)? Sense organs grasp only qualities, according to Umāsvāti.
sparsana-rasana-ghrāņa-cakṣuḥ-śrotrūni (TAS 2.19) sparsana-rasa-gandha-varņa-subdās-tadarthāḥ (TAS 2.20)
The object of a tactile sense organ, tongue, nose, eye, and ear is touch, taste, smell, shape (or colour), and sound respectively.
As we see here dravya (substance) is not mentioned as an object of sense organ. This led some non-Jaina thinkers to contend that there is no substance over and above qualities. Thus what we call substance is nothing but a bundle of qualities, and it is not true reality. Jainas, however, who believe in the reality of substance say that sense organs primarily grasp qualities, and through these qualities they grasp substance. Therefore, it is said that both substance and qualities are the objects of matijñāna, or sense perception.
First Stage of Sense Perception
vyañjanasya avagrahah (TAS 1.18) na cakṣur anindriyābhyām (TAS 1.19)
[There is an initial first stage called vyañjanasya avagrahuḥ where] the cognizer grasps simply senseobject contact. So in the case of eyes and mind
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