Jainism as Metaphilosophy

SR No.: 001194
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S Gopalan
Publisher: Satguru Publications Delhi
Publication Year: 1991
Total Pages: 92
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 5 MB

Page 73

Philosophy As Criticism-II
negative terms—is attempted, the attempt would be clearly unsuccessful. This is the significance of the combination of the fourth proposition with the first and the second.
Before concluding this chapter, the significance of the nonabsolutistic nature of propositions which atempt to describe Reality needs to be reiterated. The Jaina tradition holds that no categorical description of Reality, be it of the positive, affirmative type or the negative, denying type, is justifiable; for each description is true in some sense or the other. Each has validity in a limited sense only, and any of the seven alternatives referred to above would hold good in regard to every type of description.21
It is on this basis that Jainism is critical of the categorical nature of the standpoints taken by other Indian sysicms of philosophy. For one thing, these systems do not realise that an assertion can at best be conditional,-holding good only under certain circumstances or from the viewpoint of one of several factors which deserve attention, analysis and reflection. Universal validity as well as absolute invalidity of any of the propositions proposed would be scen lo be not possible. For,
applicability or applicability, mcaninglessness or meaningfulness, in a different sense (i.e. Other than what is proposed) and from a different perspective could be 'claimed' in respect of all viewpoints taken, Add to that the fact that Being and Becoming and Identity and Change (inthe sense respectively of persistence and continuity) are observable empirically , the futility of absolutcly affirming the validity of any proposition as well as wholly countering the affirmation would become clearer still.
Jainism as critical philosophy then would lay the claim for observing the principle of non-onc-sidedness (anekunta) as follows: While taking different viewpoints (naya) is necessary for an analytical consideration of the nature of Reality, the very same procedure becomes fallacious if other viewpoints are not considered alongside the one adopted as required by the Syādváda doctrine, for then the complementay procedure of synthesis would not have been observed and hence only an incomplete picture of Rcalily would have emerged. The aim of philosophy is thus lo critically evaluate and constructively accept the results obtained by both procedures of analysis and synthesis.