Studies in Jainism

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

Page 86

JAINA CONCEPTION OF SPACE AND TIME
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other view Time is nothing but modes or changes of substances. In other words, Time is identical with change and nothing over and above change. The minute changes and gross changes are merely the modes of substances. And the Jainas being the upholders of the theory of non-absolutism (syādvāda), believe that there obtains a relation of indentity-cum-difference between a substance and its modes. In other words, according to them, modes are in a way identical with the substance. Hence the name 'substance' (dravya) is secondarily applied to them also. As a result of this, time which is nothing but modes of substances is also called substance. The statement, occurring in the Bhagavatisūtra, that Jiva and Ajivasubstances themselves are called Time means that modes of these substances are called Time; Time is nothing over and above these modes48 Substances undergo incessant minute changes by virtue of their intrinsic nature. An independent time substance is not required to assist them in their modification or change. These minute changes or modes are not measurable. So, the Jainas seem to have conceived a mode sufficiently thick to be measured. This is called samaya or moment, the ultimate measurable mode of a substance49. This mode is measured by the slow movement of a material atom over one space-point. Where the movement is fast, the thickness of the mode would get reduced to such an extent that it would not remain amenable to measurement. What are called ävalikā, muhūrta, etc. are merely the long and short series of the ultimate measurable modes.
The argument that the case of an independent Time Substance is on par with Dharma and Adharma is not sound. Dharma and Adharma are, of course, posited to account for motion and inertia respectively. But motion and inertia of a substance are not eternal. Sometimes we find a substance in motion and sometimes we find it at rest. This suggests that there must be some condition of motion and intertia over and above the substance itself. And hence the Jainas posited Dharma and Adharma as conditions or media of motion and intertial. Those who posit Time as an independent substance do so to account for mainly the incessant minute changes. But according to the Jainas such changes are eternalwithout beginning and end. Hence it is not necessary to posit a
asual condition to account for it. What is eternal-beginningless and endless has no cause whatsoever. Again, the argument that without an independent Time substance the order of the world