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PROPERTIES OF MATTER IN JAIN CANNONS N. L. Jain Girls College, Rewa, M, P.
Introduction
Jain philosophy is noted for its principles of polyviews to explain the plurality of realities in contrast to Vedantins. Scholars have taken large pains to establish the priority or posterioty of these Indian philosophies but no definiteness has accrued on this point as yet as large number and variety of statements are found in pre-Christian era literature supporting both types of opinions Nevertheless, a logical point may be stated that adwaita grew out of plurality to explain and sustain some phenomena on intellectual scale. It is now agreed that Uttaradhyayan precedes the Vaiseșika philosophy which is followed by other Jaina philosophical cannons just at the beginning of Christian era. This paper is concerned with some of the physical contents developed during the period and later on. It will deal with only three important aspects of these contents, viz (i) methods of obtaining knowledge (ii) definition of and (iii) attributes of matter and evaluation with respect to the current views on them. The author feels that no proper and systematic attempt has been made in this direction and would feel pleasure if this paper leads to some serious studies in this regard to critically evaluate and supplement the points raised in this article. Methods of obtaining knowledge
There are two words "Janadi and Passadi” in literature associated with knowledge. Tatia? has shown that there was not much difference in these two activities in early days as they were supposed to be simultaneous. Later on, it was surmised that sensory perception preceded the mental conception. Thus Passadi became the more important part of obtaining knowledge of material world. Umaswatis has pointed out two ways of sensory perception-Pramanas and nayas. The naya method consists of studying an object with respect to a particular aspect, mode or state. As a substance has many aspects, there may be many nayas to study it. Pramāna is a way of all inclusive study of the object. Thus it will synthesize all the analytical studies by naya method. Realistically, it is not possible to do so in normal state, hence naya method is the chief source for obtaining knowledge for the human beings. Actually, the naya method follows the same methods as used in pramana studies. It has been pointed out that the knowledge about an object can be ascertained through six categories : description, ownership, cause, substratum, duration and classification. There are other ways of expressing these
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