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TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
substance while nityatva spoken of in the present aphorism refers to the non-cessation of all the three aspects origination, destruction and permanence. Herein lies the difference between dhrauvya spoken of in the earlier aphorism and nityatva spoken of in the present. 30.
Defending the Tenet of Anekānta or Non-extremism :
Each thing is possessed of a number of properties; for as viewed from the standpoint adopted and as viewed from another standpoint it proves to be something selfcontradictory. 31.
How the mutually contradictory but validly cognized properties can be co-present in one and the same thing and why from among the many properties that are present there in it one is taken account of at one time another at another time—these two quesions are answered in the present aphorism.
The character being existent that makes itself felt in connection with the cognition or statement 'the soul is existent' cannot maintain itself irrespective of everything else. For could it do so a soul should prove to be existent as possessed of an alien nature like that of a jar etc. as it proves to be existent as possessed of its own nature like consciousness etc.; that is to say, in that case jarness too should be apparent in a soul just as consciousness is actually apparent in it—which in its turn would mean that a soul possesses no characteristic nature of its own. Certainly, it is the very essence of a characteristic nature that it is existent in the form of the own nature of the thing concerned and non-existent in the form of an alien nature. Thus depending on the standpoint adopted both the properties existence and nonexistence are proved to characterize a soul. And just like the properties existence and non-existence the properties permanence and transie:nce too are proved to characterize it; for permanence is proved from the standpoint of substance or the general transience from the standpoint of mode or the specific. Similarly, the properties like oneness, manyness etc. which appear to be mutually contradictory but which are proved to be actually
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