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 157

Appendix ‘A’ The expressive-capability of meaning in Prakrit and
Apabhramśa words The Mīmāmsakas and the Grammarians believe that the Sanskrit words are the only right words possessing power of expression of its meaning. The words belonging to Prakrit, Apabhramsa and other dialects lack the capacity of expressing meaning. Thus, these philosophers do not postulate the power of expression of the meaning in any language or dialect except Sanskrit. As opposed to it, the Jaina philosophers postulate this power in all the languages and dialects. Prabhācandra in his Prameyakamala-mārtanda and Nyāya-kumudacandra has tried to prove by many arguments that as there is power of expressions in the Sanskrit texts, so also the words of Prakrit, Apabhramsa and the dialects too have the capability of expression. It is also not correct that first, we only listen to the words of a dialect and then by understanding their Sanskrit synonyms, we elicit thier meanings. If we accept it, it would mean that those who do not know Sanskrit were not being able to understand the meaning of statements of other languages. But in our practical life we see that those who do not know Sanskrit they also can comprehend the meaning of words and realise their behaviour accordingly. In fact, the denotation of the world, is the primary factor in comprehending its meaning. People are able to understand the meaning of a word, the way in which they take the symbol, this is the general feature of a language. If the expression-power were exclusive to the Sanskrit words only, there would have not been many languages in the world nor they would have been able to carry on the practical affairs. The Jaina philosophers have taken in this connection a wider view, which takes us above the narrow considerations. Jaina acāryas have always given equal emphasis on the power of expression of dialects as well as the cultured languages. That is why, the Jaina Tīrtharikaras and ācāryas adopted the common language as medium of their discourses. Thus, to regard the expressive power