द्रव्य-पर्यायात्मक वस्तु ज्ञान का विषय
By डॉ. राजकुमारी जेन
Summary
The text discusses the philosophical concept of "dravya-paryayatmaka artha jnana ka vishaya" (the object of knowledge as substance and mode), as propounded by the Jain philosopher Akalankadeva. Akalankadeva is presented as a pivotal figure who systematically developed Jain epistemology, building upon the work of Samantabhadracharya. The central thesis is that all real objects (sat) possess a dual nature: they are both one and many, permanent and changing, general and particular. This is expressed through the terms "dravya" (substance), referring to the unitary, abiding aspect, and "paryaya" (mode), referring to the manifold, changing aspects. The text contrasts this view with other Indian philosophical schools: Buddhists and Advaita Vedantins, who consider the perception of a substance with multiple attributes to be a false, conceptual construction, and Nyaya-Vaisheshika, who accept substance and qualities as separate. Akalankadeva argues that all valid cognition, including direct perception (pratyaksha), is always determinate (savikalpaka) and has as its object this substance-mode composite. He asserts that perception does not grasp a single, simple quality but rather a substance with multiple qualities, such as a pot with form, color, and existence. The text further explains that qualities (guna) are not separate from modes (paryaya); rather, qualities are modes. The relationship between a substance and its qualities is one of identity-in-difference (tadatmya). This principle is extended to parts and wholes, where multiple parts constitute a whole. The text uses the example of verbal testimony (shabda pramana) to illustrate how language reveals a thing's multiple attributes sequentially, generating further inquiry and demonstrating the infinite nature of a thing's attributes (anantadharmatmakata). The commentator Vidyanandi is cited to argue that any entity, such as the soul (jiva), must have infinite attributes because it is knowable
Conclusion
This analysis underscores that Akalanka’s doctrine of substance-mode reality is not merely a metaphysical abstraction but a direct challenge to the epistemological foundations of rival Indian schools. By asserting that all valid cognition, including perception, is inherently determinate and grasps an object’s dual nature, the text refutes the Buddhist and Advaitic claims that such knowledge is illusory. The most profound implication is the validation of an infinite, dynamic reality where every attribute is both a mode and a substance in relation to others, creating an endless, non-vicious regress of knowing. This framework transforms the act of knowing from a passive reception of simple particulars into an active, investigative process that progressively reveals an object’s infinite facets. Consequently, the document establishes that incomplete knowledge is not error but a natural stage in an unending pursuit of truth, thereby legitimizing empirical and scriptural inquiry as paths to ever-deepening, though never final, understanding.