Studies in Jainism

Author(s): M P Marathe, Meena A Kelkar, P P Gokhle
Publisher: Indian Philosophical Quarterly Publication Puna

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The first part, viz., Jaina metaphysics and ontology contains an introductory article by Prof. Mohanlal Mehta. He says, "In fact, the Bhagavati presents three different views with regard to the constitution of the universe (1) Souls and matter constitute the universe, (2) Five extensive substances are the constituents of the universe, (3) Six substances form the universe" (p. 4), Prof. Mehta adds, "These are, so to say, the three stages of the growth of Jaina ontological ideas. It is evident from this account that in their search for the basic types of reals, Jaina thinkers must have started with souls and matters" (p. 4) Unfortunately, what is evident to Prof. Mehta is not evident to me and perhaps would not be evident to anybody. I do not see how these three propositions indicate the growth of Jaina ontology. First, the three propositions stated by Prof. Mehta need not be considered in a historical perspective. They can be consistently held together. Secondly, Prof. Mehta states that Jaina thinkers must have started with souls and matters. This also is not clear to me. Why should they not start with six Dravyas? Prof Mehta again says, "The Jaina meaning of extension' is different from the sense in which material objects are many times said to be extensive. " (p. 4) What is the new sense of extensiveness discovered by Prof. Mehta and attributed to Jaina philosophers? However, the importance of Prof. Mehta's article is that he makes us see some of the problems in Jaina metaphysics. Dr. Sikdar's article "The concept of matter in Jaina philosophy" is very important in several ways. It takes us to the new understanding of matter and problems concerned with it. However, perhaps for Dr. Sikdar matter is represented only by Pudgalas. I have a feeling that the concept of matter is indicated by all the words Pudgala, Dharma and Adharma. And I have a further feeling that the concept of matter cannot be separated, though it could be distinguished, from the concept of Jiva and Kala on the one hand and Akāśa on the other. For, unless something was matter it could not be the cause of inertia either in its dynamic or static form. I also think that matter will have to be defined in relation to space (in the form of Pradeśas). So Akāśa also will be invariably involved in the whole game. The third article Jaina Concept of Atomic Combination" by Dr. Suzuko Ohira would certainly be very useful for the study of Jaina physics and metaphysics. Unfortu
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