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The Samkhya-Yoga and the Jain Theories of Parināma
fundamental Dravyas? We are here primarily concerned with this 'agurulaghu'.
Pandit Sukhalalji and Baraiya have attempted to explain it as follows: Each Dravya is Parinami in Jaina philosophy. In fact, Parinama is regarded as the very nature of reality. It is quite likely, therefore, that each Dravya, being possessed of the inherent power to change, may in the absence of a controlling factor, transgress its limit of Pariņāma and change in such a way as to give up its essential nature स्वभाव, जाति altogether and become a totally different Dravya. Hence, in order to avoid this contingency, this attribute agurulaghu seems to have been recognised, as controlling and regulating the Pariņāma of each Dravya and thereby keeping it within its specific limits."
The above explanation was formulated, as Sukhalalji says, without any textual authority in support of it. However, I have been able to discover its corroboration, in Amṛtacandra's commentary on the Paficästikäya (st. 84-Nirnaya Sagar edition and 91 in the Eng, edition) of Kundakunda. It is as follows: af अगुरुलघुभिर्गुणैरगुरुलघुत्वाभिधानस्य स्वरूपप्रतिष्ठत्व निबंधनस्य स्वभावस्याविभागपरिच्छेदैः प्रतिसमयसंभवत् षट्स्थानपतितवृद्धिहानिभिरनंतेः सदा परिणतत्वात्......।'
Thus, 'agurulaghu' is that element in the five or six ultimate Dravyas, which keeps them in their own nature in spite of continuous transformation. To put it in modern terms, it is what constitutes the 'thatness' of an ultimate entity.
cf. Tsu. Gujarati Edition, p. 401, 402.
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