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376
Reals in the Faina Metaphysics
NyĀYA INFERENCE ABOUT THE CAUSE FROM THE EFFECT
So, according to the Naiyāyika's, we have on the one hand an infinite number of material atoms and on the other, an infinite number of souls with Adrsta's peculiar to each. The question thus arises: How do the bodies which are the means of the soul's varied worldly enjoyments and for the matter of that, the physical world originate? The souls, are, by nature, passive; they cannot create their bodies. The material atoms also are inactive, they also cannot be the creators of bodies, of and by themselves. Accordingly the Naiyāyika's conclude that there is an all-powerful God who for enabling the Jiva's to experience the good and the bad fruits of their actions creates bodies as the means and the world, as the place of their enjoyments, out of the material atoms. In the matter of the creation of the world, God's infinite intelligence is manifest. If an object is made up of parts, the former is called the Kārya i.e. the effect. A house, for example, which is constituted of smaller parts is thus an effect. But in order that the smaller parts may be suitably joined, an intelligent builder is necessary, who by his own intelligence and efforts would organise these parts in accordance with his plan and thus make up a whole object. Thus in the matter of building a house, we find that there is an intelligent builder who constructs it by intelligently and actually placing the building materials in consistency with the building plan. An effect is thus always the work of an intelligent maker. In other words, an effect leads us to conclude that there is an intelligent agent behind it. We find that material objects and molecules are made up of subtle atoms; so, the former are efects. Who, then, has made the effects? The Nyāya and the Vaiseșika philosophers argue that since the world and the material objects are effects, there must be an intelligent Being as their creator'..
'क्षित्यादिकं वुद्धिभद्धेतुकं कार्यत्वात्। यत्कार्यंतद् बुद्धिमद्धेतुकं दृष्टं यथा घटादि। कार्य चेदं क्षित्यादिकम्। तस्माद्बुद्धिमद्धेतुकम्।'
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