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 43

Language and Script 1: (17) understand the teachings of the Tirthankara in their respective languages only and not in the ardhamāgadhi language. In the Samavāyānga-sūtra it is clearly said, "The Lord teaches in ardhamāgadhi language; and this ardhamāgadhi transforms into their own language of expressions irrespective of the Aryans and the non-Aryans, animals and birds. Thus, all the beings comprehend the sense of the teachings of the Tirthankara accordingly. It is clear that they have there own respective languages but how do they understand the sense (of Tirthankara's teaching) in their own languages, is a different question. The only possible answer of this question is that the Tīrthankaras used to speak with certain sound-symbols alongwith specific bodily postures (mudrā) that could convey the sense of his discourses. Even today the behaviour of human beings is full of many bodilypostures and sound-signals, the sense of which is understandable to not only the different language-speaking people but also to the animals and birds. Again, it should be noted that as far as the Digambara tradition is concerned it regards the divine sound of the Tirthankaras as Anakṣarātmaka (language consisting of no syllables). Thus, according to Jainas neither there is any Reality like God, which creates the language, nor the Tīrthankaras are the creator of language. Language is not God-created; it is the creation of living-beings. As a generic concept or flow, however, it is eternal. Thus, the Jaina view with regard to the origin of the language is different from that of the Naiyāyikas.
The other views regarding the origin of language like- Dhātusiddhanta (theory of elements of words/grammatical theory), Nirnyasiddhanta (theory of judgement), Dhvani-anukarana (theory of sound imitation), Manobhava-abhivyakti-siddhanta (theory of sentiment expression) and Ingita-siddhanta (theory of Indication) are usually prevalent in linguists. But non of these theories are able to give an uncontroversial explanation of the origin of language. As a matter of fact language is a developing and a dynamic process. It is influenced by many a factors. As such we cannot prove its origin on the basis of any one particular theory only. According to the Jainas, the meaning- symbols and cognition of meaning of language are the result of the efforts of the living beings, which are influenced by many factors such as space, time and circumstances. Jaina philosophy accepts Anekāntavāda (theory of many-foldness of reality or non-absolutism) and therefore, it does not