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

Page 262

CHAPTER VII
243
This naturally raised the legitimate objection that the two absolutely different relata cannot be related by a relation-whether it be samyoga or samavāya—without a further relation relating the relata to the initial relation. The second relation, again, necessitates a third, and the third, in turn, a fourth, and so on, interminably, landing the Naiyāyika in the muddle of an infinite regress.
By extending the notion of svarūpasambandha, which has already been accepted in some form, within a limited sphere of experience, over the entire range of experienced reality and, thereby, conceiving the relational element to be embedded in the terms themselves, the Naiyāyika can avoid the above difficulties. This would tone down his close adherence to difference and bring him nearer to the
other dharma, cannot arise; much less does, therefore, the question of relating them arise if only for the reason that no such tertiary entity is vouchsafed to us in our experience; na dharmadharmitvam atīvabhede vșttyāsti cen na tritayam cakasti / AVD, p. 31, kā. 7. SM (text); see also SM on the kā.
The acceptance of such an absolute distinction leads the Naiyāyika to the curious position of holding caitanya or jñāna (caitanyam jñānam, p. 38, SM) to be absolutely separate from ātman connected with it (atman) by samavayasambandha This samavāyasambandha is supposed to avoid the contingency of why the jñāna of Caitra should not belong to Maitra since jñāna is adventitious to both persons alike. But this sambandha does not seem to help the Naiyāyikasamavāya being one, eternal and all-pervasive, and therefore identically the same (sarvatra vỉtter aviseşāt) in both persons. Vide SM, p. 41.
The Jaina also accepts difference between the dharmi and the dharma (cf. prativastusvabhāvabhedād iti / SM (text), p. 32)
but not in the absolute sense. See Note 8, p. 80 (Notes), SM. 1. samavāyasya samavāyāntarena vșttyabhyupagame tu, tatrāpya--
parasamaváyakalpane'navasthā nātidustarā / SDS, p. 252 f., TRD.