Nature of Time

Author(s): Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Z_Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_Mahotsav_Granth_Part_1_012002.pdf and Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_

Page 15

NATURE OF TIME : 77
Astronomers' View : . The view that Time is nothing but action is ascribed to astronomers by some modern scholars. But it seems that it is not their view. If at all it is their view, it is not the view of all the astronomers but only of the few. The Sūryasiddhānta states that Time is of two kinds—the one is rod-like indivisible and inflexible (akhandadandayamāna) and without an end (akşayya), and the other is the one the nature of which is to measure (kalanātmaka). The partless rod-like Time is the cause of production, endurance and destruction of the changing world. The measurable Time can be demonstrated (nidrsya) and is an object of perception. This measurable Time is, again, of two kinds—tangible (mūrta) and intangible (amūrta). The vital breath is taken as the unit of tangible Time. The time necessary in a healthy body for inspiration and expiration is called vital breath (prāņa). One vital breath takes about four seconds of the Western division of time). The time-atom', the truti', is the unit of intangible time. It is the 33,750th part of a second.61 Jaina View :
In the Āvasyaka Cūrni, three different views on the nature of time are referred to. Some say that time is a quality 62; some maintain that it is nothing but modes of the substance63; still some others opine that it is an independent substance (dravya) in addition to the five, namely, Jiva (Soul Substance), Pudgala (Matter Substance), Akāśa
(Ether Substance), Dharma and Adharma (Substances serving as the media of motion and inertia respectivly) 64. Out of these three views, the first is, to the best of my knowledge, neither referred to nor explained elsewhere in the whole of the Jaina literature. The last two views are considerably old and find mention in the Bhagavatīsūtra65. The
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60 qram #ra: 1 : 452TH: 1 # faut Saarama gaut il-Sūrya
siddhanta (Kashi Sk. Series), śl. 10 and the comment thereon. 61 mifa: mat Rashik: 1-Ibid,, Si. 11.
According to the commentator, Pt. Kapileśvara Chaudhary
truti = 3240000 second. 62 ... gar:... --Avaśyaka cürni (Ratlam Ed.), 340. 63 ...gur Fient toata 455713... -Ibid, p. 340. 64 87491 ro o t I-Ibid., p. 341. 65 fenfica i saret for qarar? TIPHT i siar a aitar a for!
* U I | ETI? TT! 3 CUET 1-qafut, fylls, arafruik, पुग्गलस्थिकाए, जीवत्थिकाए, अद्धासमये य ।