Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

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BASHISTHA NARAYAN SINHA
Medium of Rest (Adharma)
Like 'Dharma', 'Adharma' is also a technical word. It is used generally for that which is unreligious or unrighteous, but in Faina literature it is used technically for the medium of rest. It helps souls and matter when they come in position of taking rest. As a tree helps a man coming from a long distance, to rest under its pleasant shadow, 'Adharma' helps a soul to take rest. But it is capable of helping only, not of forcing any being for taking rest. Thus it is called an auxiliary cause of rest or the medium of rest of soul and matter. It pervades the whole of this universe. It is eternal, formless and non-moving substance.
Space (Ākāśa)
Akasa' is that one in which all jīvas, pudgalas, dharma, adharma and kāla are accommodated. It is eternal and all pervasive. It is formless and imperceptible. It is known simply by knowing that the substance which has existence, cannot be accommodated without space. It has numberless 'pradesas' and it is dwelling place of all the objects of this universe. “Akasa', according to Jainism, is divided into two divisions—'Lokākāśa' and 'Alokākāśa'. The 'Lokākāśa' is the same universe in which we are living. But beyond this universe or 'Lokākāśa', there is another division of 'Akāsa' which is named as 'Alokākāsa' in which there is no substance like that of 'Lokākāśa'. That is why, it is called 'Alokākasa'. 'Ākāśa' helps a substance to exist in space. So it is known as the condition or the cause of accommodation.
Time (Kāla)
As Umāsvāti defines, "Kāla' or time is an essential condition of duration, motion, change, newness and oldness. It is 'Kāla' which causes change or modification. A thing is new at present but it will be old after passing through a time either short or long. Time marks the continuity. When there is no continuity, newness and oldness, sooner and later, fast and slow cannot be observed.