Reals on the Jaina Metaphysics

Author(s): Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: Shatnidas Khetsy Charitable Trust Mumbai

Page 60

The Principles of Motion and Rest
45 do not actually perceive. The moving and stopping things must have some substance which help their motions and stoppages. This mode of reasoning leads us to admit the reality of Dharma and Adharma. The Jaina's point out that all philosophers admit many Reals which are not, however, the objects of our sensuous perception. Besides the gross objects, for instance, supersensuous Atoms are admitted as Reals. The Sāṁkhya philosophers admit the reality of the supersensuous attributes, Sattva, etc. of the Prakrti as well as of the infinite number of Souls. The Jaina's argue that there is no inconsistency, if we admit the reality of Dharma and Adharma, although they are supersensuous; the phenomena of motion and rest necessitate it.
CAN DHARMA AND ADHARMA BE IDENTIFIED WITH ĀKĀśA?
Can we not identify Dharma (and for the matter of that, Adharma also) with Ākāśa or Space? In other words, can we not say that it is Space which determines the motions and stoppages of substances ? Space also is immaterial as it is devoid of the material attributes of smell, taste, etc.; it is also eternal, formless and a Niskriya Hetu or a passive condition; lastly, its irreducible parts also cohere together so closely that it is one, all-pervasive, continuous whole. Why, then, admit the separate reality of Dharma which also, as described above, has these features? This attempt at identifying Dharma with Ākāśa, the Jaina's oppose by saying, "
H 7 fattarT"'. They argue that the determination of the direction of a thing in relation to another is impossible without positing Space; yet, the Vaiseșikas admit Dik as a separate Real. Simultaneity or successiveness of phenomena presupposes Space; yet Kāla is an independent Real. Al. though one all-pervasive Space is in contact with all the conscious selves, the latter are admitted to be more than one in number. The Sāmkhya philosophers maintain that the attribute Sattva is characterised by all-pervasiveness; yet the separate reality of the other two Guņa's, Rajas and Tamas is not denied by them. Consciousness is the one characteristic