Sambodhi 2005 Vol 28

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, K M Patel
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 58

52
POOJA CHANDEL
SAMBODHI
(adharmastikaya), space (akasha) and time (kala). The Jaina concept of god is quite different from that of the Hindu trinity as he is not considered as a creator, ruler or regulator on the world which is looked upon as uncreated and eternal. Creation implies desire on the part of the God who wants to create and desire implies imperfection. Jainism believes that every individual human experiences the pleasure and pain according to his own desserts. Jainism does not agree with the Nyaya conception of Ishvara as a dispenser of karma. The historicity of Tirthankara Parsva has been unanimously accepted. He preceded Mahavira by 250 years. He was son of King Asvasena and Queen Vama of Varanasi. The Jaina literature Acharanga, Kalpsutra, Samvayanga and some portion of Bhagwati deals with the concept of Tirthankara. Nature of Reality
The Jaina thinkers have mentioned the word 'sat', 'tattva', 'artha', padartha' and 'tattvartha' as synonyms for the word reality. They generally did not make any distinction among substances, reality, existence, etc. The other Indian systems did not do so in the same sense. In the Vaisesika-sutra, all the six, viz., substance, quality, action, generality, particularity and inherent relationship are called padarthas, but the term artha is reserved only for three padartha, viz., substance, quality and action'. The Naiyayikas call the sixteen principles by the name of 'sata. The Samkhya system regards Prakrti and Purusa as tattvas.
According to Umasvati, the definition of reality is 'sat' i. e. existence. He did not use the term 'tattva' bit used the word 'dravya', i. e. substance for reality. Reality is substance and substance is reality. In this way, the primary and essential criterion of reality is existence or satta. That which exists is real. In other words, existence is reality or reality is existence. Considering from this point of view, it can be asserted that ‘all is one because all exists.' This view is taken to be very much similar to that of the Upanisad's "sarvam ekam sad visesat”. In Jaina canons, there are some references that indicate this view. As we find in the Sthanangasutra : 'One Soul, 'One Universe' etc. This concept of oneness is considered to be valid only from the view-point of the 'sangrahanaya'. This view-point of the Jainas reaches near the Absolute Idealism of Hindu philosophy. Our intellect cannot describe this reality in whole. It can be realized by intuition which is possessed by an omiscient self. Both the conscious and non-conscious substances are the attributes of this reality, according to Jainism. Existence is neither 'Consciousness