Jaina Philosophy of Non Absolutism

SR No.: 001213
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Satkari Mookerjee, S N Dasgupta
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 314
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, B000, & B025
File Size: 18 MB

Page 245

The Nyāya Conception of Universals
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up as follows. The felt unity of the universal cannot be explained away as an error as due to the non-perception of the differences of the conceptual contents, no matter whether the said differences are real or unreal. Secondly, even the erroneous perception of identity is possible only if the differences are objectively real. There is no possibility for the perception of identity, if the differences are perceived. This holds good even in the case of erroneous perception of difference. For instance, a real silver may be mistaken to be something different from silver and this erroneous perception of difference would prevent the perception of the real identity of silver. Here the difference of silver is falsely felt, but it is a real attribute of lead, So even error of identity or of difference is possible only if the difference or identity is real somewhere. That the hair of a tortoise is felt to be different from the horn of a horse is due to the fact that hair and horn are real entities which are really different from each other, and the perception of their real difference cannot be done away with even when they are imposed upon a tortoise and a horse to which they do not belong. The law formulated by Udayana that the perception of real difference is an obstacle to the perception of identity, true or false, and that the perception of identity is due to the non-perception of such difference is not found to be inoperative even in such exceptional cases. The upshot is that the conception of identity of the universal cannot be conjured away by any amount of logic as an unfounded fiction or as a subjective creation, because the felt unity and continuity cannot be accounted for on the supposition of its unreality.
The nature of conceptual knowledge, so far as it is revealed in experience, has been examined and the Naiyāyika has shown that the Buddhist has not succeeded in explaining away the positive character of it. The element of negation, so far as psychological evidence is concerned, is problematic. Let us now consider the logical grounds on which the Buddhist bases his conclusion that conceptual thought is per se negative in character and reference. It is alleged that a concept is referable both by a negative and by a positive determination. This will be evident from an analysis of the propositions, 'The cow is here' and 'the cow is not here. The cow that is referred to by 'is' and 'is not