Classification of substance as per jain philosophy
- Jain philosophy speaks of six eternal substances (dravyas):
1) Jiva (living souls)
2) Pudgala (matter)
3) Dharma-tattva (the medium of motion)
4) Adharma-tattva (the medium of rest)
5) Akasha (space)
6) Kala (time)
- These are divided into two broad groups:
- Jiva: the living beings (conscious, capable of knowledge and liberation)
- Ajiva: all non-living substances, which include Pudgala, Dharma-tattva, Adharma-tattva, Akasha, and Kala
- What this means in practice:
- The universe is built from six dravyas that persist eternally; bodies or objects arise when these substances combine, but none of the dravyas can be destroyed.
- Dharma-tattva and Adharma-tattva are subtle principles that pervade the cosmos: dharma enables motion, adharma enables rest.
- Pudgala (matter) includes all physical stuff, from the gross to the subtle (and even karmic matter).
- Time (Kala) and Space (Akasha) provide the medium in which change and existence occur.
- Do Digambar and Śvetāmbara traditions differ here?
- Both traditions affirm the same six dravyas as the fundamental substances. Differences arise in interpretation of certain subtler tattvas or their details, but the basic list of six dravyas is common to both.
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