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Jainism As Metaphilosophy
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Jaina theory of ethics. As such, comprehending the nature of Reality is not of theoretical interest merely. Understanding Reality is to have a transformational influence on the attitude of man, and this is indicative of the practical nature of philosophy
itself, 9 T.R.V. Murti, “The Concept of philosophy" in Harold Coward,
edt. Studies in Indian Thought, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1983,
p. 393. 10 Ibid. 11 Satis Chandra Vidyabhusana, A History of Indian Logic, Delhi:
Motilal Banarsidass, 1978 (first published, 1970), p. 158. 12 Ibid. 13 See Bhadrabahu's Daśavaikālikaniryukti in which is elaborated
a ten-membered syllogism (daśāvayava-vākya). The ten members are: (i) The Proposition (Pralijñā), (ii) The limitation of the proposition (pratijñā- vibhakti), (iii) The reason (hetu), (iv) The limitation of reason (helu-vibhakti), (v) The counter proposition (vipakşa), (vi) The opposition to the counter-proposition (vipakşapratişedha), (vii) An Example (dịştānta), (viii) Questioning the validity of the example (äsarika), (ix) The meeting of the question (äsanka-pralişedha) and (x) Conclusion (nigamana). The Jainas characterise a syllogism of ten parts as the best (uttama), a syllogism of five parts as the mediocre (madhyama) and a syllogism of two parts as the worst (jaghanga) - See S.C. Vidyabhusana, Op. Cit., p. 166 f.n. Taltvārtha-Sūtra, I. 9-10. cf. Bhagavati-Sūtra, 88. 2. 317 which refers to the five types of knowledge as abhinibodhika, śrula, avadhi, manahparyāya and kevala. N. Tatia observes that the Agama theory of knowledge is very old and probably originated in the pre Mahavíra period. - See Studies in Jaina Philosophy, Banaras: Jain Cultural Research
Society, 1951, p. 27. 15 See the present author's Outlines of Jainism, New Delhi : Wiley
Eastern Ltd., 1973, pp. 48-49. 16 Taltvártha-Sūtra, I. 11,
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