Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 2

Author(s): G C Chaudhary
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 71

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VAISHALI INSTITUTE RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 2
it does not understand it.” 16 It is said again by them : "Speeches turn back from it with the mind."17
The same view is embodied in the Jaina Āgama like the Ācāranga Sūtra in regard to the reality of soul in its liberated condition in this manner : "All sounds (i.e. speeches) recoil thence, where speculation has no room nor does the mind (mai) penetrate there."18 That is to say, it is impossible to express the nature of the liberation of soul in words, since it cannot be reached even by the mind.
Conception of Dravya (Substance) According to Jaina Philosophy, Dravya (Substance) is Reality and it is endowed with Guna (quality) and paryaya (modification). Sat (existence) is the mark (or Characteristic) of Dravya (Substance), and origination, decay and permanence characterize Reality-Sat-Dravya.
Now the question arises how Dravya (substance) is conceived as Reality and why it is so defined in this system of thought.
Definition of Dravya (Substance) An extensive use of the Prākrit-Pâli word 'Davva', Skt. 'Dravya' has been made in the Jaina Āgamas, and in other Indian literatures, such as, in poetical works, in grammatical texts, in medical science, in philosophical treatises, etc., in various meanings of this very old word, meanings which seem to have been traditionally determined in the distant past.
Papini used the word 'Dravya' by explaining the formation of its twofold etymological derivation in the two aphorisms of the Taddhita section of his Aşțădhyāyīt!. Besides these two, he also made an explanation of the same formation by composing a third aphorism in the Krt section,
According to the Taddhita explanation, the word 'Dravya' is derived from the root 'dru' (i.e. tree or piece of wood) +ya=a modification (vikāra) or a constituent element (avayava) of a tree or of a piece of wood.20 The affix 'yat' comes in the sense of its product or part after the word 'dru'. This debars añ (IV. 3. 137). Thus dru+yat= Dravyam.a1
The second derivation is made from the root 'dru' (i.e. a piece of wood)+yat='Dravyam' like a piece of wood.
The word 'Dravya' is anomalous here meaning 'beautiful. It is formed by adding ‘yat' to the word 'dru', the word 'Bhavya' of the aphorism "Dravyaṁ ca bhavye"?? means ‘nice, excellent, proper, fit, having or containing in itself or himself all the desired requisites.