Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism

Author(s): S C Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

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34 :: Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism
a place in the existent world, must be qualities and relations of something".!
An attribute is something which invariably accompanies a substance. The very unity of a substance implies that it can never be found without the diversity of attributes. Hence an attribute is something in the structure of a substance, which never leaves the substrate. Devanandi states: “What are found inhering in the permanent substance are the attributes”.An attribute may undergo changes in degrees of manifestation from a minimum to a maximum, but it can never disappear totally from its substratum. Attributes are the principles of division of a substance. Umāsvāti again contends that the attributes inhere in a substance, but, in themselves, cannot be supposed to have attributes" ? He emphasises two facts. Firstly, the attributes presuppose a substance for their inherence, and secondly in themselves they are not substrate for other attributes. The unity of the attributes gives birth to what is called the substance. By following a process of abstraction we may talk of attributes distinctively of the substance; but, if all the attributes are shaken off, the unity of attributes, and hence the substance, vanishes. Thus a talk of substance independently of the attributes becomes impossible. The second fact implied means the limit of the process of analysis of a substance into its attributes. We can analyse the unity of a substance to a stage where we come across elements which are termed as attributes. The process of analysis may be carried on further, but we shall not get attributes therefrom. By this Umāsvāti also means that the attributes are not mental constructions but have ontological validity. This limit of the process of analysis is such as would allow no overlapping of the elements so obtained. Rājamalla emphasises the same fact when he says: “No
1. S.K. Maitra: Fundamental Problems of Philosophy, P. 96 2. Devanandin: Sarvārthasiddhi, p. 95 3. Umasvāti: Tattvārthasūtra, 5. 41