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A Study in the Origins and Development of Jainism
which he might be postulating. In this process, after attaining some maturity, he might have developed some doctorinal differences and formulated his doctrines adopting many philosophical ideas and ethical practices of Mahāvīra.
Philosophy
The Jain philosophy consists of ontology, metaphysics, doctrine of karma, epistemology and ethics.
The Jains have an ontological perspective which is different from the Upanisadic and Buddhistic. They radically differ from the Upanisadic doctrine that the ultimate reality is permanent and unchanging. The visible changes are mere illusions of senses. On the other hand, the Buddhists deny that there is any thing permanent. According to them, reality a mere flux. They treat the notion of the permanence of substance as mere fiction of ignorance. The Jains hold that permanence of substance and change both are real. According to them, substance is that which has its existence "saddravya lakṣaṇam". 'Sat' consists of origination, decay and permanence - utpãd-vyaya-dhrauvya yukta ṁ sat. In the process of change some qualities remain unchanged, some new qualities are generated and some old qualities are destroyed. It is to be noted that changes occur only in the accidental or acquired qualities. Substance consists of qualities and forms-guna paryāyavad dravyaṁ. Guņa is some thing which can not be separated from dravya. It is permanent feature but form or paryaya changes. It is in this process of change in the form that the changes in the substance occur. For instance, when a piece of gold is turned into a ring, the qualities of gold remain the same though its form is changed. Thus, inspite of diverse changes the substance remains as a permanent entity.
The doctrine of Anekāntavāda is a logical corollary of this specific Jain conception of reality. Anekantavāda is a doctrine which is based
