The concept of dravya (substance) is the crux of the Jaina metaphysics. It stands for the totality of things. It is the locus of gunas (attributes) and paryayas (modifications). The gunas constitute the essential nature of dravya. A dravya possesses multiple gunas. Paryaya stands for the mode in which a dravya and its guņas appear. The most significant and singular contribution of the Jain School in the field of metaphysics is introducing the concept of Paryaya. Though the Reality has substantial and adjectival aspects, both substances and attributes exist in a particular form or mode at a particular place and time under particular conditions. This conditioned mode of existence of substance and attributes is known as Paryaya. The point is that substances and attributes are conceived to exist not in an absolute or isolated way but in relation to other reals. So this non absolutistic or relativistic view of Reality leads the Jain Thinkers to postulate Paryaya.
This rich concept of Paryaya is a unique contribution which is highly valuable in the spheres of thought and action. It provides a strong base for relativism, perspectivalism and situationalism which are needed for pluralistic worldly life. It helps in avoiding the pitfalls of absolutism, dogmatism, obscurantism, ego-centricity and narrowness of all types. This type of understanding leads to mutual complementarities, mutual cooperation, mutual trust, coexistence and above all to ahimsa which is the highest truth. It provides foundation to Anekantavada as a theory of Reality and ahimsa (nonviolence) as a way of life. It alone can ensure a participatory, conciliatory and democratic mode of life which is the aspiration of humankind. Thus, we find that the introduction of the concept of Paryaya brings about a tremendous modification in the Jain metaphysics, ethics, logic and epistemology, the like of which we do not find in the metaphysics of other schools. The implications of this concept are deep and far-reaching in the fields of mathematics, statistics and linguistic analysis. Its tremendous implications are yet to be brought to the fore by the Saints and Scholars. Many of such elements have been worked out and developed by the Jain Scholars, but many more are yet to be brought out. For example, the qualitative dimension of the theory of the probability as a foundation of theory of karma and rebirth and emergence of infinite plurality of beings and things is a unique idea of Jainism which is only in an embryonic form and if its details are fully worked out, it is sure to result in a Copernican revolution in the methodology of natural and social sciences. It is a challenging task for the scholars of Jainology which, I think, should be highlighted and earnestly taken up. Whatever literature exists in this respect should be made available in a language intelligible. This can be achieved if interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches are made as a team work to these areas of potential studies and whatever literature exists in this area is made available in a language familiar to modern mind. It requires a team work of knowledgeable scholars of different fields to work on the implications of the concept of Paryaya and on Jain mathematical models to explain the operation of karma. Prof. L. C. Jain, Professor of Mathematics, has done some pioneering work but that needs to be carried forward. Late Acharya H.H. Shri Mahapragyaji also in his book 'Anekantavada' endorses this need. Prof. Mahalnobis and Prof. J. B. S. Haldane found in Syadavada a close relevance to the concepts of probability. Prof. D. S. Kothari has also dwelt on this point.
According to the Jain Thinkers, thus, no Reality, whether in the form of substance or in the form of attribute, exists as such but only in a specific mode of existence. There are infinite ways or modes in which reals can exist and this idea paves the way for the advocacy of 'Anekantavada', the central thesis of Jainism. Likewise, in the field of knowledge, to know a thing is to know its substantial and adjectival aspects in a particular mode or form. A particular mode appears only in a particular set of conditions. With the changed conditions there will be another mode of existence of that thing. So, all our knowledge of a thing at a particular spatiotemporal locus is conditional and relative to the circumstances. Of course, the possibility of absolute knowledge is all the while there. Naya has double function. It is experience of object in a particular mode and its verbal expression in that mode. This is the Nayavada or the relativistic theory of knowledge and language. Since all knowledge is relative, the judgmental and linguistic expression of it has also to contain the relations and the conditions which characterize such knowledge.
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