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Jaina Philosophy
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From the metaphysical point of view - Jainism is pluralistic. Jainism mentions seven fundamental principles (tattvas). They are jiva (living being), ajiva (non-living substance), aśrava (influx of karma), bandha (bondage in this wheel of life), Samvara (stoppage of the influx of karma), nirjara (removal of the accumulated karma) and mokşa (liberated state). This classificat on of the fundamental principles into seven principles is metaphysical with overtones of spiritual values. To these seven principles, papa (sin) and punya (merit) have been added. The nine principles inclusive of the two constitute the padarthas and it gives a flavour of religious content with the introduction of papa and punya (Table 1). From the point of view of the analysis of the cosmos, jiva, and ajiva have been classified into six substances (dravyas). They are (1) Jiva (living substance), ajiva (non-living substance), Ajiva has its forms : 2) Pudgala (matter). 3) dharma (principle of motion), 4) adharma (principle of rest), 5) Akasa (space) and 6 kala (time). These are the six dravyas. Dravya is the substance because it possesses the fundamental characteristic of existence (astitva) and substantiality (dravyatva). Excepting kala, all other substances are called astikaya, because they have the characteristic of astitva (existence) and kayatva (dimensions). But kåla is not an astikaya because it has no kayatva (dimension), it is mono-dimensional. It has linear dimension. Pañcastikaya mentions the characteristics of dravya as substantiality and existence. Therefore, dravya is real. It is characterised by the origination (utpada), permanence (dhrauvya) and disintegration
yyaya). These are the modes of the substance. The substance (drayya) can be considered from two points of view, i.e., from the point of view of substantiality and from the point of view of its modes. For example gold as gold is substance, it is permanent. But it may be used for preparing bangles and ornaments. They are the modes of the gold. The modes are relatively permanent in the sense they may be changed. They have duration and have no absolute permanence. 4 Yet there is no difference between the substance and its qualities and modes. One cannot exist without the other. There is neither substance without modes nor modes without substance.5 The concept of the astikaya is a significant contribution of the Jainas to the metaphysics of the world. In the astikaya, they do not include kala because kala is undimensional
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