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 355

336 JAINA THEORIES OF REALITY AND KNOWLEDGE paradravyādicatuştaya, respectively. They may be referred to, briefly, in English, as self-quaternary and other-quaternary. After these few preliminary observations we may now proceed to elucidate the nature and the modes of the method of the sevenfold predication.
Syādvāda' (The Conditional Dialectic) or Saptabhangi
(The Theory of Sevenfold Predication) Syādvāda or Saptabhangī is that conditional method in in which the modes, or predications (bhangāḥ) affirm (vidhi), negate (nişedha) or both affirm and negate, severally (p?thagbhūta) or jointly (samudita), in seven different ways, a certain attribute (dharma) of a thing (vastu) without incompatibility? (avirodhena) in a certain context (praśnavaśāt)."
1. Although'syadváda' is the most popular name it has various
synonyms like samhāravāda, sarvavastusabalavada, akulavada sankīrņavāda, tadatattvavada, and vibhajyavada. See AJP, Vol. I, Intro. p. IX and f. n. 5 thereon. Incompatibility includes not merely consistency with the other modes, in the method, but also with the valid knowledge, per
ceptual (pratyakşa) or otherwise (parokşa). 3. Cf. Mallisena's definition: ekatra jivādau vastuni ekaikasattvadi
dharmavişayapraśnavaśāt avirodhena pratyaksādibâdhāparihāreņa prthagbhutayoḥ samuditayoś ca vidhiniședhayoh paryālocanayākstva syācchabdalāñchito vakşyamāṇaḥ saptabhiḥ prakāraiḥ vacanavinyāsaḥ saptabhangiti gīyate/ SM, pp. 142-3. Akalanka puts the same, cryptically, as follows: praśnavaśāt ekatra vastuni avirodhena vidhipratişedhakalpanā saptabhangi/ TRAG, p. 24.
The following two definitions are by Vadideva and Vimaladāsa, respectively: Ekatra vastuni ekaikadharmaparyanuyogavasát avirodhena vyastayoḥ samastayoś ca vidhinişedhayoḥ kalpanaya syātkārāńkitan saptadhā vākyaprayogaḥ saptabhangi/ PNTA, EV 14 in SRK, p. 716. tallaksanaṁ tu prāśnikapraśnajñāna-prayojyatve sati ekavastuvišeşyaka-aviruddhavidhipratişedhātmaka-dharmaprakāraka-bodhajanaka-saptaväkyaparyāpta-samudāyatvam/ SBT, p. 3.