Jain Darshan Me Tattva Chintan - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Jain Darshan me Tattva Chintan" by Subhashmuni:

This text, "Jain Darshan me Tattva Chintan" (Essays on Truth in Jain Philosophy) by Subhashmuni, delves into the foundational concepts of Jain metaphysics, particularly focusing on the nature of "Tattva" (truth or reality) and the essence of existence.

1. Understanding Tattva (Essence/Reality):

Jain philosophy often uses terms like Sat, Tattva, Artha, Dravya, Padartha, and Tattvartha interchangeably to refer to the fundamental reality or essence of things.
Sat and Dravya are considered synonymous. The famous Umaswati sutra, "Sat dravyalakshanam" (Sat is the characteristic of Dravya), confirms this.
From the perspective of universal existence (Satta Samanya), everything is Sat. This leads to the idea that "all are one because all are Sat," echoing the Vedic saying, "Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti" (Truth is one, the wise call it by many names).
The Sthānāṅgasūtra further explains this by speaking of "one soul" and "one world."

2. The Nature of Sat (Existence):

Sat is characterized by utpāda (origination), vyaya (cessation), and dhrauvya (permanence).
This is further elaborated as a Dravya (substance) having guna (attributes) and paryāya (modes or modifications).
Utpāda and vyaya represent change, while dhrauvya signifies permanence. Similarly, guna indicates an unchanging quality, and paryāya signifies a changing state.
Every object has two aspects: oneness (permanence) and manifoldness (change). Dhrauvya refers to the unchanging aspect (like attributes), while utpāda and vyaya refer to the changing aspect (like modes).
Permanence implies uniformity and stability, while change involves the destruction of the old form and the creation of a new one. Even amidst destruction and creation, the object is not entirely lost nor entirely new. A form of stability exists between destruction and origination.

3. Dravya (Substance) and Paryāya (Mode):

The term Dravya in Jain literature is also used for "general" or "common" attributes (Samanya), while Paryāya refers to the "individual" or "particular" aspects (Vishesha).
General (Samanya) is of two types:
- Tiryak Samanya (Horizontal Generality): The similarity observed in multiple objects located in different places at the same time.
- Urdhva Samanya (Vertical Generality): The oneness or continuity of a substance across its various states in time.
Particular (Vishesha or Paryāya) is also of two types:
- Tiryak Vishesha (Horizontal Particularity): Particulars associated with Tiryak Samanya.
- Urdhva Vishesha (Vertical Particularity): Modes (Paryāya) dependent on Urdhva Samanya.
Modes dependent on the vertical generality of Dravya are also called Parinama (transformations).
Vishesha and Parinama are both considered Paryāyas of Dravya because they are mutable. Parinama is primarily related to time-difference, while Vishesha is primarily related to space-difference. What are transformations in terms of time are particulars in terms of space.
Therefore, Paryāya, Vishesha, Parinama, Utpāda, and Vyaya are largely synonymous, encompassing the various states of a Dravya.

4. The Relationship Between Dravya and Paryāya (The Doctrine of Nayavada and Syadvada):

The text discusses the relationship between Dravya and Paryāya: are they different or the same?
An account from the Bhagavati Sūtra illustrates a debate between the disciples of Parshvanatha and Mahavira on this topic. Mahavira's disciples explain that the soul (Atma) is Samayika (meditation) and Samayika is the meaning of the soul. Here, the soul is the Dravya, and Samayika is its state or Paryāya.
This illustrates the non-difference view (Abheda Drishti) where the Paryāya is not separate from the Dravya. This is considered relative. In some aspects, the soul and Samayika are one because Samayika is a state of the soul.
However, the text also supports the difference view (Bheda Drishti). The statement "Even when the mode (Paryāya) is impermanent, the substance (Dravya) remains permanent" clearly shows a distinction. If there were complete non-difference, the destruction of the mode would lead to the destruction of the substance.
The conclusion is that Dravya and Paryāya are partially different and partially non-different (Kathanchit Bhinna and Kathanchit Abhinna). The Dravya itself doesn't change, even though its modes do. The attributes of the Dravya are never destroyed, even as its states appear and disappear.
The emphasis on the Paryāya view supports the difference between Dravya and Paryāya, while the emphasis on the Dravya view supports their non-difference. Lord Mahavira's intention was to understand these distinctions through different perspectives (Drishti Bheda).
This principle applies to the soul and knowledge. Knowledge is an attribute of the soul, which remains constant, but its states change. Knowledge does not have an independent existence separate from the soul; it is a part of the soul. From this perspective, knowledge and soul are non-different.
However, if they were completely non-different, there would be no relation of attribute-possessor. If they were completely different, the knowledge of one person would be indistinguishable from another's, leading to chaos. Therefore, it is appropriate to consider them both partially different and partially non-different. The non-difference is from the perspective of the Dravya, and the difference is from the perspective of the Paryāya.

5. Classification of Dravya:

From the perspective of Satta Samanya (universal existence), all Dravyas are one. There is no room for differentiation here. This is the view of the Sangraha Naya (collection or inclusive perspective), which emphasizes non-difference and overlooks differences.
From a dualistic perspective, Dravya can be divided into Jiva (soul, sentient) and Ajiva (non-soul, insentient).
Further classification leads to six types of Dravyas:
1. Jiva (Soul) - Formless.
2. Ajiva (Non-soul) - This is further divided into:
  - Rupi (Corporeal): Pudgala (Matter).
  - Arupi (Formless):
    - Dharmastikaya (Principle of Motion)
    - Adharmastikaya (Principle of Rest)
    - Akashastikaya (Space)
    - Adhasamaya (Time - though its classification as a Dravya is debated, here it is presented as the sixth).
Of these six, the first five (Jiva, Pudgala, Dharma, Adharma, Akash) are Astikayas (possessing many parts or substantial entities), while Time (Adhasamaya) is Anastikaya (not possessing many parts in the same way).
Astikaya means having regions (pradesha) and a collection of many regions. Pudgala, Jiva, Dharma, Adharma, and Akash have numerous regions. Time, however, is described as having independent regions, each functioning separately, and not forming a collective entity in the same way. Hence, it is considered Anastikaya.

6. Pudgala (Matter):

Pudgala is what is generally referred to as inert or physical matter. The word is composed of "Pud" (growth, increase) and "Gal" (decay, decrease), signifying matter that undergoes constant change through assimilation and dissimilation.
Pudgala has four main qualities: touch, taste, smell, and color. Each atom of Pudgala possesses these.
These have twenty subdivisions:
- Touch: Eight types (soft, hard, heavy, light, cold, hot, oily, dry).
- Taste: Five types (bitter, pungent, sour, sweet, astringent).
- Smell: Two types (fragrant, foul).
- Color: Five types (blue, yellow, white, black, red).
Pudgala is classified into two types: Anu (atom) and Skandha (aggregate).
- An atom is the indivisible part of Pudgala. It possesses one taste, one color, one smell, and two types of touch.
- A Skandha is a collection of atoms.
Functions of Pudgala include sound, bondage, mildness, coarseness, form, division, darkness, shadow, heat, and light.
The embodied soul cannot exist without Pudgala. The connection between the soul and Pudgala is inseparable as long as the soul is in the cycle of transmigration.
Pudgala is the material cause for the formation of bodies:
- Audārika Sharira (Gross body) - formed from Audārika Varganā.
- Vaikriya Sharira (Transformational body) - formed from Vaikriya Varganā.
- Āhārika Sharira (Receptive body) - formed from Āhārika Varganā.
- Tejas Sharira (Fiery body) - formed from Tejas Varganā (responsible for digestive fire).
- Karmic body (Karmaṇa Sharira) - formed from Karma Varganā (responsible for mental, vocal, and physical activities and karmic bondage).
Only the gross body (Audārika) can be perceived by the senses; the others are too subtle.

7. Dharma (Principle of Motion):

Dharma is the medium that facilitates the motion of Jiva and Pudgala. It is an Astikaya.
While Jiva and Pudgala themselves move, Dharma is the enabling cause or medium for this motion.
Without Dharma, even liberated souls, which naturally tend to move upwards, would not stop at the boundary of the universe (Loka) but would proceed into the non-spatial region (Alokakaasha). Since Alokakaasha lacks Dharma, motion cannot occur there.
Dharma is eternal, unchanging, and formless. It has infinite regions and permeates the entire universe. It is a complete substance, existing as a single, unbroken entity.

8. Adharma (Principle of Rest):

Just as Dharma causes motion, Adharma causes rest. It assists Jiva and Pudgala when they are about to become stationary.
Without Adharma, rest would not be possible. Adharma is also an unbroken substance with infinite regions, pervading the entire universe like Dharma.

9. Akasha (Space):

Akasha is the substance that provides space for Jiva, Pudgala, Dharma, Adharma, and Time.
It is all-pervading, one, formless, and possesses infinite regions. All substances reside within it.
Akasha is divided into two parts:
- Lokakaasha: The part of space occupied by the six Dravyas.
- Alokakaasha: The part of space that is empty of these substances.
From the perspective of Akasha itself, it is one and undivided. The distinction arises from the presence of other substances.
While some philosophers might not consider Akasha a separate substance, Jainism distinctly categorizes it with the specific subdivisions of Lokakaasha and Alokakaasha.

10. Adhasamaya / Kala (Time):

Time is considered the cause of change.
Two perspectives on Time:
- Behavioral/Conventional Time (Vyavahara Drishti): This views time as the cause of modification in substances, which retain their original nature. These modifications are called Parinama. Time is what causes these changes, like the passage of hours, minutes, and seconds.
- Ultimate/Essential Time (Paramarthika Drishti): This refers to the constant, momentary existence and experience of each substance and its modes. This essential flux is the cause of time. Every substance is characterized by origination, cessation, and permanence, a continuous process that happens every moment. This is the ultimate function of Time.
Time signifies change. Understanding change requires understanding continuity (Anvaya). The continuity within changes allows us to recognize that a change has occurred. Without continuity, it would be impossible to know what changed, or in what.
The concept of time implies change, where each moment brings a new state. This change, however, is not absolute like in some other philosophies; it is qualified by permanence (dhrauvya).
Time is described as having innumerable regions (pradesha). These are not parts of a single aggregate entity but are independently existing. Hence, Time is Anastikaya.
Each region of Lokakaasha is occupied by a region of Time. The statement that there is one region of Time for each region of Lokakaasha and that substances reside upon these temporal regions leads to the conclusion that Time is not a single substance but innumerable substances.
Although all regions of Time share the characteristic of change, they are distinct from each other. They do not form a single composite entity. Just as consciousness is common to all souls, but souls are distinct, so too, despite having the common characteristic of "vartana" (process/change), each temporal region is distinct.
The term "Jiva" is applied to all souls based on the common attribute of soul-ness. Similarly, "Kala" is applied to all temporal regions based on the common attribute of temporal-ness (Kalatva or Vartana). Therefore, Time is innumerable from the perspective of this common characteristic.

Conclusion:

The text emphasizes that the understanding of these fundamental realities (Tattva) is crucial for a proper grasp of other philosophical concepts. The Jain philosophical treatise on Tattva is deemed highly significant, as without understanding its true nature, other subjects cannot be accurately known.

(Note: The text also briefly mentions that some scholars view Time as a modification of Jiva and Ajiva, not as a separate substance with individual temporal regions, and that the Agamas do not elaborate extensively on Time.)