Outlines of Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Jain Mission Society Bangalore

Page 46

OUTLINES OF JAINA PHILOSOPHY
Time as non-extended. This is a rough estimate of the conception of Universe in the Jaina canons.
NATURE OF REALITY
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The Jaina thinkers have mentioned the words 'sat', 'tattva', 'artha', 'padartha', and 'tattvärtha as synonyms for the word Reality. They generally did not make any distinction among substance, reality, existence, etc. The other Indian systems did not do so in the same sense. In the Vaiseṣika-sūtra all the six, viz., substance, quality, action, generality, particularity, inherent relationship are called padarthas but the term artha is reserved only for three padarthas, viz.: substance, quality and action. The Naiyāyikas call the sixteen principles by the name The Sankhya system regards Prakyti and Puruşa as tattvas. In spite of being a school of Realism, Jainism did not make any difference among Reality, Existence, Substance, Object, etc.
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According to Umāsvāti, the definition of Reality is 'sat', i.e. existence. He did not use the term 'tattva' but he used the word 'dravya,' i.e., substance for Reality. We have already seen that there is no difference between substance and reality. Reality is substance and substance is reality. In this way, the primary and essential criterion of Reality is Existence or sattā. That which exists is real. In other words, Existence is Reality or Reality is Existence. Considering from this point of view, it can be asserted that All is one because all exists.' This view is taken to be very much similar to that of the Upanisads. In the Jaina canons there are some references that indicates this view. As we find in the Sthānanga-sutra: One Soul.' 'One Universe.' etc.5 This conception of oneness is considered to be valid only from the view-point of the Sangrahanaya.' This view-point of the Jainas reaches near the Absolute Idealism of Indian philosophy and the 'Experience' of Bradley. Our intellect cannot describe this Reality in whole. It can be realised by intuition which is possessed by an omniscient self. Both the conscious and non-conscious substances are the attributes of this Reality,
1 Vaiseṣika-sutra, I, 1, 4; VIII, 2, 3.
Sacca khalu ṣoḍaśadha vyudhamupadesyate-Nyāya-bhāṣya I, II.
Sat dravyalaksanam, V, 29 (Digambara tradition). Tattvärtha-sutra bhasya, I, 35.
Ege aya; ege loe.-Sthananga-sūtra, I, I, I, 4.
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