Studies in Jainism

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

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STUDIES IN JAINISM
Time substance is constitutionally dynamic in the sense that it continuously undergoes changes by virtue of its intrinsic nature like other substances. Changeless time substance cannot assist changes in other substances. So, time substance is not changeless. Thus time qua substance is one, but time qua modes is many. Though time substance is changeing it never loses its identity. It permeates and pervades all its modes. Thus time qua substance has temporal extension (ürdhvapracaya) also44.
The ultimate measurable unit of time is called samaya (instant). It is measured by the movement of a material atom over the spacepoint. Hence it is defined as the time taken by a material atom to traverse one space-point by slow movement. Time substance has infinite samayas. As a samaya is an ultimate measurable unit of time substance, it is devoid of temporal parts. A samaya is not bereft of time substance. But the time substance contained in it is indivisible. Hence a samaya is devoid of substantial parts also. But as a samaya pervades the entire cosmic space of innumerable space-points, it may be conceived as possessed of spatial parts. As it is possessed of a plurality of spatial parts, it is capable of being charaterised as an astikāya. Again, it has manifold of capcities with which it assists various changes proper to infinite number of substances. These capacities may also be conceived as its parts45. All the samayas are not absolutely discrete; they are related to one another by an underlying time substance4. 6. Relative Subtlety of Units of Time, Space and Matter
It is interesting to have some idea of the relative subtlety of units of time, space and matter. A space-point (pradeśa) is subtler than a time-point (samaya). It is contended that the number of spacepoints of a small space of one angula is equal to the number of time-points of a countless number of cycles of time. But an atom of matter is subtler than even a spacepoint. An infinite number of atoms can be accommodated in one space-point. Thus a material atom is subtler than a space-point and a space-point is subtler than a time-point47.
7. Time identical with Change
We have studied the view that Time is an independent substance which assists change in various substances. But according to the