The Concept of Paryāya and Jaina Way of Life
By Jagdish P. Jain
Summary
The article by Dr. Jagdish Prasad Jain “Sādhak” examines the Jaina metaphysical concept of paryāya (modes) and its relevance to daily living. The Jaina philosophy divides reality into substances (dravya), qualities (guṇa) and modes (paryāya). Substances are eternal entities like soul and matter that retain their fundamental nature, but they constantly undergo modification through origination, persistence and destructionimage/file:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_2001_10_520144_std_ocred.pdf. Qualities are inherent attributes that express the nature of the substance – for example, consciousness is a quality of the soul – and these qualities manifest in an infinite variety of modesimage/file:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_2001_10_520144_std_ocred.pdf. The author emphasizes that the Jaina conception rejects the idea of absolute permanence or total annihilation; instead it views reality as a dynamic process where substances persist through continuous changeimage/file:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_2001_10_520144_std_ocred.pdf. This makes paryāya central: understanding one’s changing modes allows a person to distinguish between the eternal soul and the transitory states caused by karmic influx. The article explains that knowledge in Jainism (jñāna) consists of perceiving substances along with their attributes and modes, and that failure to recognize modes leads to delusion. By citing canonical texts such as Umāsvāti’s Tattvārtha-sūtra and Kundakunda’s Pravacanā-sāra, the author shows how the triad of origination (utpāda), persistence (dhrauvya) and decay (vyaya) is inseparably linkedimage/file:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_2001_10_520144_std_ocred.pdf. He argues that Jaina ethics flows from this metaphysics: when one realizes that the self is distinct from its changing mental states, one naturally cultivates detachment, non‑violence and compassion. The article concludes that the concept of paryāya helps practitioners understand the impermanent nature of emotions, possessions and body, thereby guiding them toward the right faith, knowledge and conduct that lead to liberationimage/file:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_2001_10_520144_std_ocred.pdf.
Conclusion
Recognizing that all entities possess eternal substance and changing modes is the cornerstone of Jaina metaphysics. Dr. Jain shows that by understanding paryāya – the changing modes of our own consciousness – we avoid identifying the self with transitory emotions and circumstances. This clarity fosters detachment, compassion and non‑violence. Ultimately, the doctrine of paryāya teaches that liberation is achieved not by annihilating the self or denying change but by realizing the soul’s permanence amid constant transformation and directing our lives toward right knowledge and conductimage/file:///home/oai/share/jain_journal_2001_10_520144_std_ocred.pdf.