First Steps to Jainism Part 1

SR No.: 001640
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sancheti Asso Lal, Manakmal Bhandari
Publisher: Sancheti Trust Jodhpur
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 300
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Education
File Size: 10 MB

Page 213

The Central Philosophy of Jainism, Anekantavad 69
acquire knowledge from different points of view, but also to ascertain the basis for commonality in contradictory propositions with a view to reconcile the same. Another example of such an approach can be the two views about the soul i.e. some hold there is only one soul and others hold there are innumerable souls. Nayavad reconciles the apparent contradiction by holding that from the standpoint of separate individual beings there are innumerable souls, but from the standpoint of pure omniscient quality all souls are alike and, therefore, one. Since stand-points are also known as "Apeksha", Nayavad is called Apekshavad, yet another name for Anekantvada which can be loosely translated as Relativism.
27. We close this discussion of Nayavad with the following shloka of Acharya Yashovijaya which gives succintly the purpose and scope of Naya to embrace different schools of thought :
बौद्धानाभूजुसूत्रतो मतमभूद्वेदान्तिनां संग्रहात्। सांख्यानां तन एव नैगमनयाद् यौगश्च वैशेषिकः ।। शब्दब्रह्मविदोऽपि शब्दनयतः सर्वैर्नयैगुंफिता। जैनी दृष्टिरितीह सारतरता प्रत्यक्षमुद्रीक्ष्यते ।। अध्यात्मसार, जिनमतिस्तुति।
Rijusutra Naya includes the Buddhist point of view. Vedanta and Sankhya covered by Sangrah Naya, the Yoga Vaisheshika are embraced by Naigam Naya and Shabda Naya covers the Shabda Brahmvadi. Thus the Jain approach is apparent that Nayavad embraces all philosophies.
In any case, the divisions are subdivisions of Nayas in not sacrosanct as difference is apparant in the approach of different thinkers and at different timeswith development of thought, which cannot be static. As stated earlier there can be unlimited Naya as the aspects from which a thing can be viewed are unlimited. Further, all the Naya are dissolved and disappear with the appearance of omniscience or Keval Gyan, as the stars disappear with the appearance of the sun.
28. Doctrine of Seven fold predicates-Syadvad-Saptbhangi
Another offshoot of Anekantwadi or non-onesided approach of Jain philosophy is the Doctrine of seven-fold predication called Saptabhanghi and Syadvad (doctrine of Maybe). It is also considered an important and unique contribution of the Jains to the philo