Jaina Philosophy of Language

SR No.: 001601
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 168
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Language
File Size: 10 MB

Page 125

Theories for the Determination of Meaning : Naya & Niksepa : (99)
(3) Vyavahāra-naya: Vyavahāra-naya can be regarded as the utilitarian viewpoint. Jaina ācāryas have called it also an individual dominating view (vyaktipradhāna-dȚstikoņa). This view warns us not to regard the statements, made in reference to a few individuals as true in the context of all the individuals collectively. Moreover, this naya gives prominence to the intention of the speaker or the conventional meaning of word, which is used in a statement, instead of the word's actual meaning used in the statement.? We have already given many examples of vyavahāra-naya. When we say for instance, 'there are sweets in the ghee vessel, then the meaning of ghee vessel is not simple as vessel of ghee (earthen pot) only, but it means the vessel which was used earlier for keeping ghee (the clarified butter).
(4) Rjusūtra-naya: It is mainly considered as modal viewpoint which supports the theory of Momentaryness (kșanikavāda) of Buddhist philosophy. While making a statement, the rjusūtra-naya keeps the present characteristics of the object in view. For example, when it is said that 'Indian businessperson are not truthful it is true only in the present context. We cannot make conclusion regarding the past or the future character of Indian businesspersons from this statement. Rjusūtra-naya tells us that any statement made on its basis is true only in the immediate context not in the context of past and the future. In which context a statement is made, the meaning of that statement should be determined in the same context.
(5) Sabda-naya: The above four varieties of naya are concerned with the denotational meaning (vācyārtha) of the word whereas rest of the three nayasare concerned with the actual meaning of the word. Sabda-naya accepts the difference in the meaning of the word on account of time etc. Time etc. include time, case, gender, number, person and preposition. For example: when we say 'Banaras was a famous city of India' and 'Banaras is a famous city of India', in both of these sentences, the denotation of the word 'Bananas' is different. The first statement talks about the old Banaras, whereas the second statement is about the present Banaras. Similarly, in the sentences like “Krşņa beat' and 'Krşņa was beaten' the denotation of the word is not one and the same. In the first statement, the