Studies in Jainism

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

Page 52

JAINA CONCEPT OF ATOMIC COMBINATION
Suzuko Ohira
Much has been already said about the Jaina theory of atomic combination, however, its lucid comprehension is pretty difficult as it is involved with many other interrelated concepts pertaining to the ontological aspect of Jainism. The following study is attempted to understand the theory of atomic combination conceived by the Jainas in this context.
The Bhasya on the Tautvārthasutra v:6 reads, 'pudgala-jivās-tu kriyāvantah.' The agents of kriya, movement or activity, are the jiva and the pudgala, which is denied to dharma and adharma, the passive causes for motion and stoppage in the ākāśa-pradeśa. The Vaisesikas consider that the soul and adssta are the agents of action. They postulate an independent category of karma or motion along with dravya, guņa, sāmānya, višesa and samavāya, and assume that the concurrent operation of them together explains the total phenomena in the world. Karma which cannot produce motion by itself requires conjunction, disjunction and the other qualities for its manifestation. Vaiśesikasütra I. 7 enumerates fivefold contents of karma, i.e., utksepana, avaksepana, äkuñcana, prasā rana and gamana. These fivefold karmas take place among the souls themselves and among the souls and matters, and among the matters themselves when there is the concurrent existence of
Presented in the “ Seminar or Jaina Logic and Philosophy" (Poona University, 1975).