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
cribed in seven types of words. This can be called as in seven different ways. Therefore, this is called seven-fold predication of saptabhangi.1
For understanding the nature of a thing, it is necessary to know the thing in the light of naya (point-of-view) and pramāņa (valid source of knowledge). Naya and Pramāna do give a valid and comprehensive knowledge of the nature of the thing. The reasoning is of two types-svārtha (for one's ownsake) and parārtha (for the sake of communicating to others).2 Svārthādhigama aims at presenting the kno'vledge to oneself. While parārthādhigama is concerned with presenting the knowledge to others in the form of communication in language. This gives the predicational form of expressions. In the parārthādhigama we have 2 forms of expressions : (1) pramāna vākya which is concerned with the predication of the validity of the knowledge and its source and (2) naya vākya which is concerned with predicating the nature of a thing from a particular of point-of-view (naya). On this basis, a distinction has been made in the saptabhangi as pramāņa saptabhangi and naya saptabhangi.3 Pramāna vākya is comprehensive (sakalādesī) because it is more concerned with presenting the nature of the object as a whole in its various aspects through the valid source of knowledge. Naya vākya is considered to be vikalādesi (partial presentation) because it presents one aspect of the nature of reality from a particular point of view, although reality is complex and has infinite aspects.
Mallisena in his Syädvādamañjarī while describing the nature of an object, has stated that an object is constituted of the attributes and its modifications. Tattva, Padārtha and Dravya are synonymous to a thing or reality.
1 (a) Syādvāda mañjari 23 ţikā.
(b) Saptabhangītarangiņi p.{1. 2 Tattvārthasūtra 1, 6. 3 Saptabhangitarangiņī p. 1. 4 Anyayogavyavacchedikā, kārikā 22 5 Syādvādamañjarī, kārikā 23 vștti