________________
प्रवचनसार
substances exist with their own distinctive marks (lakşaņa), still all substances are characterized by one common mark (lakşaņa), and that is 'existence-in-general' - sāmānyāstitva or sādụśyāstitva. This mark is universal (sarvagata) to all substances.
Explanatory Note: 'Existence in own nature' - svarūpāstitva – differentiates between substances (dravya) as it highlights peculiar marks (lakşaņa) of each substance. 'Existence-in-general' - sāmānyāstitva or sādịśyāstitva – does not differentiate between substances (dravya), it permeates all substances, is universal (sarvagata) and, therefore, the general (sāmānya) mark (lakṣaṇa) of all substances. The word 'existence' or 'sat encompasses all substances; if this is not accepted, some substances will be expressed by the word ‘non-existence and some with the word ‘indescribable'. This is untenable since all substances have 'existence as their nature. 'Existence in own nature' - svarūpāstitva - classifies trees as the mango or the neem tree, but 'existence-in-general – sāmānyāstitva or sādrśyāstitva – sees all trees as the same due to their common mark of existence as tree. Similarly, "existence in own nature' - svarūpāstitva – suggests existence of six kinds of substances - the soul (jīva), the medium of motion (dharma), the medium of rest (adharma), the space (ākāśa), the matter (pudgala), and the time (kāla). “Existence-ingeneral - sāmānyāstitva or sādrśyāstitva – sees all these six substances as one; all characterized by 'existence'. When predication is from the point-of-view of 'existence in own nature' - svarūpāstitva – difference between substances becomes primary and their similarity secondary. When predication is from the pointof-view of existence-in-general-sāmānyāstitva or sādịśyāstitva – similarity between substances becomes primary and their difference secondary. The Words of Lord Jina are non-absolutistic (anekāntātmaka); when the expression treats one attribute of the
117
