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Study of Jainism
as the shade of a tree induces rest for the tired and the weary, so also the principle of adharma is the basis of rest. It is the cosmic principle and it is indestructible. The two principles of dharma and adharma are necessary for the functions in the universe. They are operative in the limited sphere of the steller universe and not beyond in the limitless.
Gautama asked Mahavira, “what is the use of adharmastikaya for the jivas? ” Mahavira said, “0, Gautama, if the adharmastikaya were not to operate as the principle of rest, who would stand, who would rest, who would sit, who would sleep and who could remain silent? The world would have been in constant movement without break if the principle of adharma were not to operate. All that is steady and at rest is due to this principle of rest". 89
A question has been asked; Dharma and Adharma are formless. Being formless how can they assist motion and rest? The answer is that the capacity to help for rest or motion does not depend upon its characteristic of formlessness. Just as Akasa is formless but it still accommodates various things, so also dharma and adharma assist motion and rest, although they are formless.
Another question has been asked regarding the all-pervading nature of dharma and adharma. If dharma and adharma were to be all-pervading. then they must interpenatriate each other. But the interpenetration, is not necessary, although they co-exist. Just as numerous lights illumine the room and each light pervades the entire room, so also dharma and adharma are all-pervading, and there should be no contradiction. Some have suggested that the principle of dharma is the gravitational field. Some others have suggested that the principle of dharma may be compared to the laws of motion but these problems need further study.
Akasa is that substance which accommodates jiva, pudgala, dharma, adharma and kala. It is Ākaša dravya. 40 It is the basis of all dravyas and therefore it has a special function.41 Akasa is not specially a dravya although it is called dravya, because it is empty space and it accommodates all things. It is all-pervading (sarvavyäpi), formless (amūrta) and it has infinite points of space
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