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Matter
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tially unconscious and unpsychical. The position of the Nyaya-Vaiseṣika in respect of matter is equally unambiguous. Its Bhuta's are material elements and although the NyayaVaiseṣika admits the agency of Isvara or a divine Demiurge, the Paramāņu's or material atoms are said to be uncreate and eternal. Finally, it seems that the Indian approach to natural realism is almost complete in the Jaina philosophy which does away with all theories of the Creator God and maintains that our perception as a veracious guide and reasoning as well convince us of the reality of matter.
MATTER CALLED PUDGALA BY THE JAINAS
Matter is called Pudgala by the Jaina philosophers. The word occurs in some places of the orthodox and the Buddhis writings as well, but there it means either soul or body. Pudgala has thus a peculiar sense in the Jaina metaphysic. Matter is said to be Pudgala because on account of combination etc. it has sometimes its extent increased and on account of separation etc. it has sometimes its extent decreased.
भेदादिभ्यो निमित्तेभ्यः पूरणाद् गलनादपि पुद्गलानां स्वभावज्ञः कथ्यते पुद्गला इति । ३।५५ । तत्त्वार्थं सा रः
MATTER, HOW FAR SIMILAR TO AND DIFFERENT FROM OTHER REALS
As an unconscious substance, it is an Ajīva and is different from the psychical principle and similar to the principles of motion and rest, space and time. On the other hand, matter is similar to the soul in this important respect that both are conceived by the Jaina's to be active principles and to have forms while the other four substances are Niskriya or inactive and Amurta or incorporeal reals. The indivisible parts of Pudgala, like those of the soul, the space and the principles of motion and rest, are all mixed up and thus constitute one whole body. Matter is thus an Astikāya and different from Kāla, the Anu's or the infinitesimal parts of which are strictly discrete.
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