________________
Bimal Krishna Manlal
It may be noted that the notion of continuity in the socalled triple character of a substance is not identical with the notion of permanence of the substance The former tiotion means persistence or continuance (pravaha. nityata) The latter notion means immutability It is the notion in the background of wbich the triple character of origination, destruction and continuity becomes nieaningful Continuity', on the other hand, is a notion essentially dependent upon origin and decay Thus, Kundakunda observes :
"There is no origin without destruction, nor is there any destruction without origin, and neitber destruction nor origination are possible without what continues to be,"17
Amrtacandra Sürı, commentator of Kundakunda, explains that when a pot is produced from a lump of clay, both the origin of the pot and the destruction of the lump amounts to maintaining the persistence of the claysubstance In order to prove his contention, Amftacandra uses the following reductio (prasanga).
"If we do not accept it as true, origio, decay and continuity_all three, will then be really different from one another In that case, when the mere origin of the pot is sought after, then either it will not originate for there will not be any (real) cause for its origin, or there will be origination of the non-existent (an untenable paradox) If the pot does not originate, no bhuvas (things) will originate. If there is origination of the non-existent (asar), then sky-flower etc will come into being. Similarly, if mere destruction of the lump of clay is attempted to the exclusion of the production of the pot), then either there will not be any destructwn of the lump for want of any (real) cause for such destruction, or there will be destruction of the existent or being an untenable
position),"18 The Jainas were well aware of the Madhyamika critique of the ownnature' concept as well as of the problem involved in the doctrine of permanent substance. It is true that the immutability of own-nature invites a host of problems But the notion of tllix, the Jainas point out, is no sacrosant Thus, just as the Buddhist argues that there is only fluctuation from one state to another there being no permanent being, the Jaina takes the bull by the horn and counterargues that if there is no permanence there cannot be any change, any fluctuation, for it is only the persisting soul that can transmigrate
The triple character of origin, decay and continuity was predicated, even by the Buddha, of the conditioned (samskyta) entities. Thus, in Anguttara I, the Buddha said.
17 Kundakunda, Oh. II, verse 8 18 Amrtacandra Sari, in Kundakunda, Ch. II, v 8, p. 125.
