Studies in Jainism

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

Page 48

CONCEPT OF MATTER IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
33
J. C. Sikdar :
My talk of skandha is in Buddhist sense borrowed from Abhidharmakośa. Secondly, I don't merely say that Jaina atoms are similar to those of Democritus but also of Lucippus. Moreover, the Jaina atomic theory is prior to the Greek theory. Although I borrowed the notions of integration and disintegration from B. Russell's Analysis of Matter we find these to be characteristics of matter even in Jainism. For example, Gandhapariņā ma where Pariņā ma means disintegration, is discussed in the Bhagavatisūtra. Nextly, although the point raised by Dr. Kalghatgi about Astitva
d Kävatva is pertinent, yet Astitva and Kāyatva are different Time no doubt has Astitva, but regrading Käyatva of Time there is difference of opinion. Whereas a Tīkā on the Tattavārthā - dhigamasutra talks of Time as a monodimensional existent, Siddhasenadivā kara says: "na Kālasya Kāyatvam aparoddhum sakyam"
S. M. Shah :
Perhaps your contention that Kāla is monodimensional is right if Kāla is taken in actual process. But what about Kālānu or Paramāņu? How many dimensions, for example, should a material Paramāņu have?
J. C. Sikdar :
Both time and space are real. Although Paramānus exist in space there is no quesion of ther dimension for they are said to move on their axes.
S. M. Shah :
But even Parināma or transformation has a subsrtatum, however subtle it is and then the question of dimension does not turn out to be utterly irrelevant.
J. C. Sikdar :
Jainas have established atoms inferentially. They also talk of particles of atoms. When they speak of Rūpa, Rasa, Gandha, sparśa as qualities of atoms they are not to be mistaken for dimensions. 1-3