________________
XXI. THE MAIN METAPHYSICAL TENET OF JAINISM
Having by the arguments thus stated set forth a refutation of the 'unequivocal' doctrines, now, bringing to light the madness of those who, with intelligence thoroughly permeated by the suffusion of beginningless ignorance, look down upon the 'equivocal' doctrine, though perceptibly beheld, he says -
XXI) Whoso, through seeing before his eyes one lasting thing,
equipped with momentary origination and destruction,
looks, down, O Jina! upon Thy precepts,
he is a madman, O Lord, or demon-possessed.
Momentary, every instant; origination, in the form of assuming a later aspect; and destruction, defined as the abandonment of a former aspect: is equipped with, is of this type, equipped with mc.nentary origination and destruction. What is that? One lasting thing, Accusative; lasting', that (single substance) which by accompanying the origination and destruction exists in the three times is 'one lasting'. Here the word 'one' signifies 'one common': and it is common to origination and destruction, because of being a continuant substance; as to Caitra and Maitra one single mother is in common that is the meaning. For only so have the two a single locality; because, despite plurality in a way of states, it is in a way one. Though seeing thus a triple real: before his eyes, beholding perceptibly. O Jina! victor over passion, etc., Thy precepts (ajñā): a, integrally, in one whole; with qualification by infinite attributes, are known', are discerned; things, soul, non-soul, etc.; that whereby so is 'precept. scripture, command; of Thee the precept, 'Thy precept'; that, Thy precept, worked out by Your Worship with the seal of the Quodammodo doctrine; whoso, whatever undiscriminating person; looks down upon, contemns; the singular of the person is in view of a class, or in sign of contempt: he, this human animal; is a madman (vātaki), or demonpossessed. Wind (vāta), a kind of disease, is in him; and so he is 'windman'; like a madman. 'windman'; 'inflated' (vatula) is the meaning. Likewise, like one demon-possessed, 'demonpossessed'; 'entered by a disembodied spirit' is the meaning. Here (168) the word 'or' has the sense of addition. or the sense of analogy. This outcast person is equivalent to a madman or one demon-possessed. By virtue of the sutra "From vata and atisara and pisaca the termination ka"). The ending has the sense of 'having'. Similarly with 'demon-possessed' also. Just as one whose body is occupied by wind or by a demon, though directly perceiving the real entity, through the force of that possession believes otherwise, so this person also is beside himself through the epilepsy of the 'unequivocal' doctrine.
1) In verse XXI we come to the main metaphysical tenet of Jainism, to the effect that every real is a complex of origination (utpäda), duration (dhrauvya) and destruction (vinäsa), or of substance (dravya), state (paryaya) and quality (guna). In the Pravacana-sara (trans. Faddegon, pp. 60 sqq.) the matter is expounded meticulously and at length.
2) Hemacandra's Grammar, VII. ii. 61 (M. L.), explains the formation of the words vätakin and piśācakin.
9 Thomas, The Flower-Spray
