Studies in Jainism

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

Page 80

JAINA CONCEPTION OF SPACE AND TIME
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to the five, namely, jiva (Soul Substance) pudgala, (Matter Substance), Äkāśa (Space Substance), Dharma and Adharma (Substances serving as the media of motion and inertia respectively)s. Out of these three views, the first is, to the best of my knowledge, neither referred to nor explained elsewhere in the whole of the Jaina literature. The last two views are considerably old and find mention in the Bhagavatīsūtrab. The Svetāmbara philosophers refer to both these views, though they favour either of them. The Digambara thinkers accepted that view only according to which time in an independent substance.
3. Arguments for the Time as an Independent Substance
Now let us study the arguments put forward by the Svetāmbara and the Digambara thinkers to establish time as an independent substance. (1) The existence of real time is established by the incessant minute imperceptible changes (vartanā) that go on in the five substances; without it these changes would not take place as it is their auxiliary cause?. To give a concrete example, we might say that the stone under a potter's wheel assists in the movement of the wheel. The stone here does not impart motion to the wheel, but without this stone such a kind of motion would not have been possible. Similarly, time assists or works as an auxiliary cause in the changes produced in substances, though it does not work as a cause proper in their production. (2) Jainas should accept Time as an independent substance. Though spiritual and material substances are regarded capable by nature to move and to rest, yet they have posited two independent substances Dharma and Adharma serving as the media or auxiliary causes of motion and inertia respectively. Similarly, though the five substances are by nature capable of transforming themselves into their proper modes, some auxiliary or general cause like Time should be posited to help them in their transformations. Were they to reject Time as an independent substance, they would have not right to posit Dharma and Adharma. The case of Time is on par with that of Dharma and Adharma' (3) Though all the causal conditions are there, the mango-tree, etc. do not bear fruits all at once; this suggests that there is Time substance, with varied capacities, which the effects expect for their fruition1o. (4) Time substance is a controlling principle. Without it terampol order could not be accounted for. Were it not an independent substance, all serial effects would J-5