Dravya (Jainism)

Classification of the six eternal substances

Dravya is a term used to refer a substance. According to the Jain philosophy, the universe is made up of six eternal substances: sentient beings or souls (jīva), non-sentient substance or matter (pudgala), principle of motion (dharma), the principle of rest (adharma), space (ākāśa) and time (kāla).[1][2] The latter five are united as the ajiva (the non-living). As per the Sanskrit etymology, dravya means substances or entity, but it may also mean real or fundamental categories.[2]

Overview

Jain philosophers distinguish a substance from a body, or thing, by declaring the former as a simple element or reality while the latter as a compound of one or more substances or atoms. They claim that there can be a partial or total destruction of a body or thing, but no substance can ever be destroyed. [3] According to Champat Rai Jain:

Substance is the sub-strate of qualities which cannot exist apart from it, for instance, the quality of fluidity, moisture, and the like only exist in water and cannot be conceived separately from it. It is neither possible to create nor to destroy a substance, which means that there never was a time when the existing substances were not, nor shall they ever cease to be. From another point of view substance is the subject of modifications. Every substance has its characteristic function, as for instance the special function of jiva is to know. Every substance is either atomistic, that is composed of atoms, or is only one, indivisible expanse of existence. Dharma , Adharma and Space have no parts in their structure, that is to say are non-atomistic, while jiva, Matter and Time consist of an infinite number of individuals, atoms and units respectively.[4]

Jīva (living entity)

Main article: Jīva (Jainism)

According to Jain philosophy, this universe consists of infinite jivas or souls that are uncreated and always existing. There are two main categories of souls: unliberated mundane embodied souls that are still subject to transmigration and rebirths in this samsara due to karmic bondage and the liberated souls that are free from birth and death. All souls are intrinsically pure but are found in bondage with karma since beginningless time. A soul has to make efforts to eradicate the karmas attain its true and pure form.

10th-century Jain monk Nemichandra describes the soul in Dravyasamgraha:[5]

The sentient substance (soul) is characterized by the function of understanding, is incorporeal, performs actions (doer), is co-extensive with its own body. It is the enjoyer (of its actions), located in the world of rebirth (samsara) (or) emancipated (moksa) (and) has the intrinsic movement upwards.
— Dravyasamgraha, 2

The qualities of the soul are cetana (consciousness) and upyoga (knowledge and perception). Though the soul experiences both birth and death, it is neither really destroyed nor created. Decay and origin refer respectively to the disappearing of one state and appearing of another state and these are merely the modes of the soul. Thus Jiva with its attributes and modes, roaming in samsara (universe), may lose its particular form and assume a new one. Again this form may be lost and the original acquired.[6]

Ajiva (five non-living entities)

Main article: Ajiva
Pudgala (matter)
Matter is classified as solid, liquid, gaseous, energy, fine Karmic materials and extra-fine matter i.e. ultimate particles. Paramāṇu or ultimate particle (atoms or sub-atomic particles) is the basic building block of all matter. It possesses at all times four qualities, namely, a color (varna), a taste (rasa), a smell (gandha), and a certain kind of palpability (sparsha, touch).[7] One of the qualities of the paramāṇu and pudgala is that of permanence and indestructibility. It combines and changes its modes but its basic qualities remain the same.[8] It cannot be created nor destroyed and the total amount of matter in the universe remains the same.
Dharma-dravya (principle of motion)
Dharma and Adharma are peculiar to the Jain system of thought, depicting the principles of Motion and Rest. They are said to pervade the entire universe. Dharma and Adharma are by themselves not motion or rest but mediate motion and rest in other bodies. Without Dharma motion is not possible. The medium of motion helps matter and the sentient that are prone to motion to move, like water (helps) fish. However, it does not set in motion those that do not move.[9]
Adharma-dravya (principle of rest)
Without adharma, rest and stability is not possible in the universe. The principle of rest helps matter and the sentient that are liable to stay without moving, like the shade helps travellers. It does not stabilize those that move.[10]
Ākāśa (space)
Space is a substance that accommodates the living souls, the matter, the principle of motion, the principle of rest and time. It is all-pervading, infinite and made of infinite space-points.[11]
Kāla (time)
Kāla is a real entity according to Jainism and is said to be the cause of continuity and succession. It is said to be of two kinds, nishchaya and vyavhāra[12]

Astikaya

Chart showing the classification of dravya and astikaya

Out of the six dravyas, five except time have been described as astikayas, that is, extensions or conglomerates. Since like conglomerates, they have numerous space points, they are described as astikaya. There are innumerable space points in the sentient substance and in the media of motion and rest, and infinite ones in space; in matter they are threefold (i.e. numerable, innumerable and infinite). Time has only one; therefore it is not a conglomerate.[13] Hence the corresponding conglomerates or extensions are called—jivastikaya (soul extension or conglomerate), pudgalastikaya (matter conglomerate), dharmastikaya (motion conglomerate), adharmastikaya (rest conglomerate) and akastikaya (space conglomerates). Together they are called pancastikaya or the five astikayas.[14]

Attributes of Dravya

These substances have some common attributes or gunas such as:[15]

There are some specific attributes that distinguish the dravyas from each other:[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Acarya Nemicandra; Nalini Balbir (2010) p. 1 of Introduction
  2. 1 2 Grimes, John (1996). Pp.118–119
  3. ↑ Champat Rai Jain 1917, p. 15.
  4. ↑ Champat Rai Jain 1917, p. 15-16.
  5. ↑ Acarya Nemicandra; Nalini Balbir (2010) p. 4
  6. ↑ Nayanar, Prof. A. Chakravarti (2005). verses 16–21
  7. ↑ Jaini 1998, p. 90.
  8. ↑ Grimes, John (1996). p. 249
  9. ↑ Acarya Nemicandra; Nalini Balbir (2010) p.10
  10. ↑ Acarya Nemicandra; Nalini Balbir (2010) p.11
  11. ↑ Acarya Nemicandra; Nalini Balbir (2010) p.11–12
  12. ↑ Champat Rai Jain 1917, p. 17.
  13. ↑ Acarya Nemicandra; Nalini Balbir (2010) p.12–13
  14. ↑ J. C. Sikdar (2001) p. 1107
  15. 1 2 Acarya Nemicandra; J. L. Jaini (1927) p. 4 (of introduction)

Bibliography

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