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_

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86 : SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
same sense in which Relative Time is. Priority or posteriority of things would not be possible without an order or sequence in instants themselves. In this manner minute unanalysable modes of Time substance could be understood as an auxiliary cause of gross modification, movement and temporal sequence. The number of such minute modes every time-atom possesses is infinite (ananta).
We have studied the view that Time is an independent substance. According to the other view Time is nothing but the modes of the five substances. In other words, time is identical with change and nothing over and above change. The minute changes, gross changes, movement, old state, new state, etc. are merely the modes of the five substances. And the Jainas, being the upholders of the theory of non-absolutism (Syadvāda), believe that there obtains a relation of identity-cum-difference between a substance and its modes. In other words, according to them, modes are in a way identical with the substance. Hence the name 'substance' (dravya) is secondarily applied to them also. The statement, occurring in the Bhagavatīsūtra, that Jiva and Ajiva substances themselves are called Time means that the modes of these five substances are called Time; Time is nothing over and above these modes.103 The alleged effects of Time, namely, usages like samaya, avalikā, etc. and the states of being old and new etc. are nothing but particular movements or modes of the substances. For instance, the ultimate indivisible mode of any of the five substances constitutes the nature of samaya. A series of such innumerable modes is called avalikā. A number of avalikās makes a muhūrta. And thirty muhurtas form a night and a day. Out of the two modes of a substance one necessarily precedes the other; the preceding one is termed 'old' and the succeeding one is termed 'new'. Thus what is called samaya (instant) is an indivisible ultimate mode of any of the five substances. And what are called avalikā, muhurta, day, night etc. are merely the names of intellectually constructed long and short series of the ultimate modes. Modification is an activity (of a substance) that goes on in
103 375113: asfa vita in cazu:
कालं इत्युच्यते तज्ज्ञः पृथग् द्रव्यं तु नास्त्यसौ ॥ एवं च द्रव्यपर्याया एवामी वर्तनादयः । सम्पन्नाः कालशब्देन व्यपदेश्या भवन्ति ये ॥ पर्यायाश्च कथञ्चित् स्युर्द्रव्याभिन्नास्ततश्च ते । द्रव्यनाम्नापि कथ्यन्ते जातु प्रोक्तं यदागमे ।
-Lokaprakāśa, XXVIII. 5, 11 and 12.