Jaina Theories of Reality and Knowledge

SR No.: 001608
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Y J Padmarajiah
Publisher: Jain Sahitya Vikas Mandal
Publication Year: 1963
Total Pages: 444
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Epistemology, & Anekantvad
File Size: 23 MB

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JAINA THEORIES OF REALITY AND KNOWLEDGE
Another argument which is mentioned, in passing, as meeting with the Buddhist objection is tendency to treat the notion of "continuousness', or nairantarya-which means absence of any gap or interval (antarabhāvarūpam)* between the two terms-as constituting the rūpaśleşa relation. This idea of continuousness is summarily rejected by the Buddhist as a negative (atāttvika or tättvikatvāyoga') one (because the absence of something is passed for a positive entity which, in his opinion, militates against the opponents' (Naiyāyika's) acceptance of sambandha as a positive entity.
Stretching the argument further, the Buddhist questions why his opponent should not accept "the presence of a gap" (sāntarată)' or the lack of continuousness, as the rūpaślesa relation. This implies that nairantarya is as arbitrary as
1. nairantaryan tayo rūpaśleşaḥ; na / PKM, p. 505. See also TSV,
p. 147, and SRK, P. 812. Also the next f.n. 2. Vidyānanda vividly renders it as chidramadhyaviraha. TSV,
p. 148. This notion of gaplessness attributed to the Naiyāyika, seems to be intended to defend his position against a split which cuts asunder a related whole into two independent, and therefore, unrelated entities. This is viewed, of course from the Buddhist angle. The Buddhist, however, contends, and rightly so, according to what rūpaśleșa ought to be, that the acceptance of gaplessness does not, as stated at the end of the paragraph, save the Naiyāyika from playing into the
hands of the Advaitin and accepting an unqualified identity. 3. The editor gives the equivalent of 'atättvika' as 'abhāva'
(tucchabhāvarūpatvād abhāvasya). PKM, p. 505, f.n. 3. 4. Both Vidyānanda and Vadidevasūri use this phrase. TSV,
p. 147, and SRK, p. 812. 5. nirantaratāyāś ca sambandharūpatve sántaratā'pi katham sam
bandho na syāt? PKM, p. 505. anyathā sāntaratvasya sambandhaprasangatvát / TSV, p. 148, and NKC, Vol. I, p. 305.