Source Book in Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Devendramuni
Publisher: Tarak Guru Jain Granthalay

Page 87

A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
Hs TERMINOLOGY OF TATTVA
In Jaina metaphysics the terms sat, sattva, tattva, tattvārtha, artha, padārtha and dravya have been used in various contexts as equivalent terms. However, these terms have their variations of uses. Acārya Umāsvāti in his Tattvārthasūtra has used the word tattvārtha, sat and dravya in a similar way, in the context to reference to substance. These concepts have only linguistic variations, but there is no difference between the uses of the words conceptually. Acārya Nemicandra has mentioned a dychotomous division of the tattva into jīva and ajīva (living and the non-living) as dravyas. The universe is constituted of these two fundamental substances. The Buddhist philosophers have propounded a theory of the impermanence of things. Everything is transitory, everything is a flux. Therefore, reality is only fleeting and transitory. But Vedāntins, on the other hand, have formulated a theory of the absolute as the ultimate truth which is permanent and unchanging. The changing universe is an appearance. In this way, the Buddhists and the Vedāntins have approached the theory of reality from their different points of view : one from the synthetic point of view and the other from the momentary point of view. The Jainas say that these two points of view are one-sided, partial and ekānta. To assert their point of view is to commit the fallacy of exclusive "affirmation (ekānta). According to Jainism the reality is comprehensive and complex. Both the synthetic and momentary points of view are partial approaches to the understanding of the real. Both these approaches are partial truths. Because permanence and change are both real and without permanence there is no change. It is the permanent which changes. Therefore, the Jainas believe that they are equally real. We cannot assert exclusive truth in any one of them. Everything in the universe would be permanent if it is looked at from the point of view of substance and it will be a change and impermanent if it is looked at from the point of view of modes. Let us consider, now, the Jaina analysis of the theory of the reality.
THE NUMBER OF TATTVAS The question regarding the number of the tattvas has been answered by the Jaipa philosophers in different ways in different contextual references. There are three fundamental approaches to this problem. From the point of view of the cosmic order, it can be said that the universe consists of two fundamental principles :