An Introduction to Indian Philosophy

by Satischandra Chatterjee

is generally called a substance (dravya). The Jainas accept this common philosophical view of substance. But they point out that there are two kinds of characters found in every substance, essential and accidental. The essential characters of a substance remain in the substance as long as the substance remains. Without these, the substance will cease to be what it is. Consciousness, for example, is an essential character of the soul. Again, the accidental characters of a substance come and go; they succeed one another. Desires, volitions, pleasure and pain are such accidental characters possessed by the soul-substance. It is through such characters that a substance undergoes change or modification. They may also be called, therefore, modes. The Jainas call an essential unchanging character guṇa, and an accidental, changing character paryāya or paryaya. A substance is defined, therefore, as that which possesses qualities (guṇas), as well as modes (paryāyas)22