Source Book in Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 001263
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Devendramuni
Publisher: Tarak Guru Jain Granthalay
Publication Year: 1983
Total Pages: 590
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Philosophy
File Size: 10 MB

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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
The Jaina ācāryas have made Syādvāda, the foundation of Jaina philosophy. Syādvāda promotes catholic outlook of many-sided approach to the problem of knowledge of reality. It is anti-dogmatic and it presents a synoptic picture of reality from different points of view. Svādvāda expresses a protest against one-sided, narrow, dogmatic and fanatical approach to the problein of Reality. It affirms that there are different facets of Reality and they have to be understood from various points of view by the predications of affirmation, negation and indescribability. The thinker having one-sided view in his mind can see only one facet of Reality, such thinker cannot realise reality in full. For this reason, Acārya Samantabhadra says that the word syāt is a symbol of truth. And therefore, the Jaina Ācāryas say that in some cases of predications, even if the term the syāt is not used, it is to be considered as implicit in the predication.3
Syādvāda presents a comprehensive and a synoptic picture of reality which expresses presence and co-existence with particular points of view, of the different characteristics like the permanance and impermanance, similarity and difference, expressibility and inexpressibility, reality and appearance.
Generally Syādvāda is identified with Anekāntavāda, bui considered from the logical distinctions inherent in two theories, we can say that Anekānta is the basic principle of the complexity of reality and the possibility of looking at reality from different points of view. Syādvāda is the expression of the Anekāntavāda in logical and predicational form.5 In this sense, Anekāntavāda is the foundational principle and syādvāda is the logical expression of the foundational principle.
Ācārya Samantabhadra says that Syādväda and kevalajñāna (ominiscient knowledge) are the foundational facts of knowledge.
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Eyante niravekkho no sijjhaï vivihayāvagaṁ dayvan. Syātkāraḥ satyalañchanaḥ. Laghiyastraya, sl. 22. Anyayogavyavacched Dvātrimśikā, sloka-25 Ācārya Hemacandra. Laghīyastryaya, sl. 62. Akalanka