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CHAPTER I
COMMENTARY Jaina metaphysics always emphasises the nature of reality to be identity in difference and unity in the midst of multiplicity This characteristic which is assumed to be present in reality in gencral is associated in a marked degree with the Self The Self in association with material upadic conditions is said to be born in the world of samsâra with various organic bodies in various places and various times The various births associated with a particular Self will be practically infinite in number when the beginningless samsaric career is taken into consideration All these various forms are considered to be paryayás or modifications of the self-same unitary ego The Self is one and its modifications deteimined by upâdıc conditions are infinite in number It is in this sense that the saying that the atman is one and the rishis call it many is interpreted by the Jaina metaphysician Another point which is generally noticed by Jaina metaphysics is the relation between the substance and its qualities The complex nature of the substance with its qualities also interpreted to be identity in difference The qualities cannot be considered as entirely distinct from the substance It is thc same identical substance that expresses its nature through qualities No doubt the qualities may be spoken of as different from one another and all from the underlying substance Such consideration of the quality in abstract is only verbal differentiation But really the qualities cannot exist independent of the substance nor the substance independent of its qualities as is maintained by the Vaiseshika school of thought It is this latter point that is emphasised in this gåthå The self in its pure nature, which is entirely free from upådıc conditions, must be considered as an indivisible unity in spite of the different attr1butes associated with it ordinarily The characteristics, Darsana, Jnana, and Charitra are only verbal differentiations employed to explain the complex nature of the unitary self This point that the qualities can only be differentiated verbally from the substance is illustrated by Jayasena in the following manner We may speak of fire that it burns, that it cooks or that it shines, when we consider the various purposes for which it is employed
