Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary)
by Vijay K. Jain | 2018 | 130,587 words | ISBN-10: 8193272625 | ISBN-13: 9788193272626
This page describes definition of nitya (permanence) which is verse 5.31 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 31 of the chapter The Non-living Substances and includes an extensive commentary.
Verse 5.31 - Definition of nitya (permanence)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha 蝉奴迟谤补 5.31:
啶むう啷嵿き啶距さ啶距さ啷嵿く啶 啶ㄠた啶む啶ぎ啷� 啷� 啷�.啷┼ェ 啷�
tadbh膩v膩vyaya峁� nityam || 5.31 ||
Permanence (nitya) is indestructibility of own-nature (迟补诲产丑腻惫补). (31)
Hindi Anvayarth:
啶呧え啷嵿さ啶ぞ啶班啶�: [啶むう啷嵿き啶距さ啶距さ啷嵿く啶] 啶むう啷嵿き啶距さ 啶膏 啶溹 啶呧さ啷嵿く啶� 啶灌-啶ㄠぞ啶� 啶ㄠす啷�啶� 啶灌啶むぞ 啶膏 [啶ㄠた啶む啶ぎ啷峕 啶ㄠた啶む啶� 啶灌啷�
Anvayartha: [tadbhavavyayam] tadbhava se jo avyaya hai-nasha nahim hota so [nityam] nitya hai |
Explanation in English from 膧c膩rya P奴jyap膩da鈥檚 Sarv膩rthasiddhi:
In 蝉奴迟谤补 5-4 it is mentioned that the substances (dravya) are eternal (nitya). What is 鈥�nitya鈥� or permanence?
Own-nature (迟补诲产丑腻惫补) is explained now. That which is the cause of recognition鈥�辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻苍补鈥搃s own-nature (迟补诲产丑腻惫补). Recognition 辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻苍补鈥揹oes not occur accidentally; its cause is the continuance of the own-nature (迟补诲产丑腻惫补) of the substance. The knowledge that 鈥榯his is the same thing that I saw earlier鈥� is recognition (辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻苍补). If it be considered that the old thing has completely disappeared and that an entirely new thing has come into existence, then there can be no recognition (辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻苍补). Without the feature of recognition (辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻苍补) all worldly relations based on it would come to naught. Therefore, the indestructibility of the essential nature鈥搕he own-nature (迟补诲产丑腻惫补)鈥搊f the substance is its permanence (nitya). But this should be taken from one particular point of view. If the substance be permanent from all points of view, then there can be no change at all. And, in that case, transmigration as well as the way to liberation would become meaningless.
A contention arises. It is a contradiction to attribute permanence (nitya) as well as impermanence (anitya) to the same substance. If it is permanent, there can be no destruction and origination, and impermanence would be negatived. If it is impermanent, there can be no continuance in its nature, and permanence would be negatived.
The next 蝉奴迟谤补 explains that there is no contradiction in that.