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Nature of Reality as Conceived in Jaina Philosophy
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is real, for the statement "Non-Existence exists" is logically self-contradictory like the saying "Existence does not exist'. It is revealed in the Ryveda that there existed nothing in the beginning of the cosmic Universe,' while Säyaņa, the commentator, maintains that 'Sat' was absent in its manifest form in the beginning. It is further explained in the Ķgveda that 'Sat is the only Reality, though called by many names and forms. With the evolution of the Indian metaphysical inquiry the concept of 'Sat' was further developed in the Upanisads on the basis of the thought over the coining of the perceptible entities into existence, though they were non-existent before, in this way : "Sat (Existence) has emerged out of Asat (Non-existence) and the Universe is evolved out of the positive being.'4 This view indicates that the basic cause should be Asat. Both the views on Sat and Asat appear to te contradictory, so the question arises how Sat has emerged out of Asat, as the eflect cannot be contradictory from the cause. The synthesis of the these two extreme views lies in the fact, that sat is not nästirūpa (non-existence-like) by all means, but it is Avyakta Sat (Unmanifest Existence or Reality). The study of the Sarkarabhásya on this problem shows that Sat and Asat were explained in the sense of Manifest Reality (Avyaktam) and Unmanifest Reality (Avyaktam)5 respectively, in the light of the Samkhya doctrine of Prakrti in agreement with the later idea on the nature of Sat. The Upanişads also preach the same doctrine
1. "Násādâsinno sadāsit tadânim nāsidrajo na vyomā para yat ",
Rg Veda, Nāsādiyasukta, X. 129. 2. "Tathā no sat naiva sadātmā vat sattvena nirvācyām āsīt”,
Ibid., Sāyaṇabhâsya. 3. “Ekam Sad-viprā bahudhā vadanti/Aynim Yaman Mätarisvāna. mähuh",
Rg. Veda, 1.161, 46. 4. "Asadvā idamagra āsīt / tato vai sadajāyata /,
Taittiriyopanisad, II. 7. "Asaditi vyākstanämärúpavisesaviparian avyäkstam Brahman ucyate...... tatah asatah vai sat pravibhakte nāmarūpavisesam ajāyata utpannan!", Sankarabhāşya; Taittiriyopanişad, II. 7 "Asadavyākstanămarūpamidam jagadasesamagre prāgavasthā. yámutapatterāśinna tvaşadeva/kathamasataḥ sajjāyatetyasatkāryatvasya pratişedhat //”,
ŚBhā. on Chāndogyopanișad, III, 19.1.
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