Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)
by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626
This page describes the non-soul substances (ajiva-kaya) which is verse 5.1 of the English translation of the Tattvartha Sutra which represents the essentials of Jainism and Jain dharma and deals with the basics on Karma, Cosmology, Ethics, Celestial beings and Liberation. The Tattvarthasutra is authorative among both Digambara and Shvetambara. This is verse 1 of the chapter The Non-living Substances and includes an extensive commentary.
Verse 5.1 - The non-soul substances (ajīva-kāya)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 5.1:
अजीवकाया धर्माधर्माकाशपुद्गलाः ॥ ५.१ ॥
ajīvakāyā dharmādharmākāśapudgalāḥ || 5.1 ||
The non-soul substances (bodies)–ajīvakāya–are the medium of motion (dharma), the medium of rest (adharma), the space (ākāśa) and the matter (pudgala). (1)
Hindi Anvayarth:
अन्वयार्थ: [धर्माधर्माकाशपुद्गलाः] धर्म द्रव्य, अधर्म द्रव्य, आकाश और पुद्गल ये चार [अजीवकायाः] अजीव तथा बहु प्रदेशी
Anvayartha: [dharmadharmakashapudgalah] dharma dravya, adharma dravya, akasha aura pudgala ye cara [ajivakayah] ajiva tatha bahu pradeshi
Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:
The soul (jīva) and the non-soul (ajīva), etc., have been mentioned as the substances of right faith (samyagdarśana); the soul (jīva) has been explained. Now, we have to investigate the substance of non-soul (ajīva). The names and the categories of the non-soul (ajīva) are now mentioned.
The term ‘kāya’ is derived from ‘body’. It is applied to these substances on the basis of analogy. These non-soul substances are called ‘bodies’ on the analogy of the body of a living being. Analogy is in what respect? Just as the body is a conglomeration of matter, so also there is manifoldness of space-points in the medium of motion, etc. Hence these substances also are termed ‘kāya’ or ‘body’.
The word ‘non-soul’ applies to time (kāla) also which does not have multitude of space-points. Time (kāla) is described later. To indicate that time (kāla) does not have multitude of space-points though it is a non-soul substance, it is not termed a ‘kāya’ or ‘body’. Time (kāla) is of the extent of one atom (the smallest indivisible unit) and it pervades one space-point only. Therefore, it has no second space-point. Hence the atom and the time (kāla) are said to have no space-points.
The above mentioned substances are called by the general name of the non-soul (ajīva), as the characteristic mark (lakṣaṇa) of the soul (jīva) is absent in these. The particular names dharma, adharma, ākāśa and pudgala are Jaina terminology.