Tattvartha Sutra

Author(s): Umaswati, Umaswami, Manu Doshi
Publisher: Shrutratnakar Ahmedabad

Page 97

AJEEVAKÄY INSENTIENT MATTER
83
Jainism calls that medium as Adharma. But Dharma and Adharma are not supposed to help in making movement or in remaining steady. Jeev and Pudgal are inherently imbibed with such capabilities and they can exercise the same on their own. Dharma and Adharma are merely instrumental in enabling them to exercise those capabilities.
Pudgal denotes all the tangible objects, whether visible or invisible. The term is made up of Pud meaning supplementing and Gal meaning dropping off or draining out. As such, the matter, which is subject to influx and reflux or which can aggregate and disaggregate is Pudgal. Whatever can be seen with eyes or be known by any other organ is Pudgal. Other theologies term it as Prakrti, Mäyä, etc.
नित्यावस्थितान्यरूपाणि ॥५-३॥ रूपिण: पुद्गलाः ॥५-४॥ 5.3: Nityavasthitänyaroopäni 5.4: Roopinah Pudgaläh
(They are everlasting immutable and formless. Pudgals have forms.)
The above-mentioned five substances are eternal and constant. It means that they are indestructible and exist forever. The science now admits that no original substance can perish. Jainism said it since the prehistoric times. Constancy denotes that there is no increase or decrease in the number. All of them, except Pudgal, are formless and shapeless; as such they are intangible and imperceptible. Pudgal is perceptible in aggregate, but imperceptible in subtle form. Moreover, while other substances are formless and devoid of material attributes,