Reals on the Jaina Metaphysics

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

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Reals in the faina Metaphysics
THE JAINA CRITICISM OF THE VEDĀNTA POSITION
But although the Vedāntins and Jaina's agree in setting aside the Buddhist doctrine of the spatial unreality, they differ on a very material point. The former urge that Space is real in so far as our experiential world is concerned. Apart from the world of our experience, it has no reality. The experiential world itself has no reality of its own. Brahma is the only one absolute Reality and the Vyavahārika Jagat or the world of our experience has only a derivative reality. Ākāśa or Space likewise has no independent reality of its own; its seeming reality is derived from Brahma, of which it is said to be the first emanation. Opposed to the Vedānta theory of the non-dual Brahma as the Jaina's are, its theory of derivation of Space from Brahma is obviously unacceptable to the Jaina's. The SĀMKHYA THEORY OF SPACE: THE NYAYA AND THE JAINA CRITICISM
Nor is the Sāṁkhya theory about the derivative reality of Akāśa admitted by the Jaina philosophers. According to the thinkers of the Samkhya school, Prakrti is the primal Real, out of which evolves the Mahat or the principle of cosmic Intelligence. Therefrom evolves Ahamkāra or cosmic Egoism. Next in order are evolved the five Tanmātrās or Subtle Elements, of which one is Sabda or Sound-potency. According to the Sārkhya philosophers, Space is an evolute from this Subtle Sound. This Sāṁkhya theory about the derivation of Space from Sound is criticised by the Naiyāyika's who contend that Space is a self-existent eternal Real. The Jaina's also reject the Sāṁkhya theory of Space. The Jaina's point out that the Sāmkhya thinkers maintain that a Puruşa or soul is eternal, inactive and indestructible and as such, no evolute comes out of it. The Prakệti also is
भवितव्यम् इत्यनवस्था। तस्य स्वस्पेवगाहं सर्वार्थानां स्वात्मन्येवावगाहप्रसंगात्, कयमाकाशस्यातः प्रांद्धिरित्यप्यमेशलमाकाशस्य व्यापित्वेन स्वागागाहित्वोपपत्तिरतो नवस्थासंभवात्। अन्येषामव्यापित्वेन स्वावगाहित्वायोगाच्च ।