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46 THI JAINA PHILOSOPHY non-absolutist attitude of the Jains regarding the nature of existence We shall therefore very briefly review the non-absolutist realism of the Jain philosophy
Jains have developed perhaps a unique system of metaphysical thinking based upon their own unique epistemology which recognises both empirical and transcendental experience to be within the scope of human knowledge According to the firstly Reality is self-existing self-consistent and self-contained Il does not depend upon something outside it for its eustence Secondly the Jain system is free from all absolutism It does not deprecate conmonsense interpretation of experience in favour of abstract a priory logic The logical attitude is intimately bound up with their empiricism
Jain definition of Reality is "what is capable of eternal continuous existence through infinite succession of creation and cessation "2 And also "what possesses an infinite number of attributes"? A Substance is an ultimate reality and is therefore defined as "that which supports (i e possesses) both qualities and a succession of mutations
The development of the Jain philosophy is based on the doctrine of persistence-through-modes Whule the absolutist finds self-contradiction in asterling both permanence and change in the sanie reality with reference to identical space and time the non-absolutist Jains maintain that one need not be afraid of accepting this as a truih-ds the very nature of things since our common cypenence gives this as a fact
2 Lipiula-rama Jhramsamahan sainfumurilu Sitru 5-29 7. Guminanieuw dostane-l'orrudhuiana Sarra 28-61 4 Guna prajājasno dravjam-Juma Siddhônia Dipikā, 1-3
