Jaina Theory of Multiple Facets of Reality and Truth

SR No.: 001746
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nagin J Shah
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 168
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Nyay
File Size: 12 MB

Page 125

Nyaya Criticism of Anekanta
107
etc. and do not desire its absence. Similarly, man does not wish the presence of pain, and he desires its absence.
As we know, the means of pleasure, pain etc. are discriminated as desired and undesired. But there would be no activity on the part of a man to obtain those things which are means of pleasure, and similarly there would not be cessation from activity in order to avoid certain things which are means of pain etc. because those things are said as possessing twofold nature, viz. as existent as well as non-existent owing to their own nature. A man infers that a certain thing is a means of pleasure etc., and consequently he employs himself to obtain that thing. However, he cannot do the activity, because at the same time he knows that the thing is non-existent also. In what a strange condition he would be put, being forcibly drawn this side and that side by the presence and absence of the means of pleasure. The poor chap is thrown by the naked Jaina monk endowed with devilish intellect into the calamity which is difficult to overcome.49
After having refuted the views on anekanta held by Samantabhadra (7th century A.D. -Darśana Ane Cintana-Pt. Sukhlalji, p.894, Gujarat Vidyasabhā, Ahmedabad, 1957) and Akalarka (Vikrama 8th or 9th Century, Pt. Sukhlalji, Intro. p.70, Tattvärthasutra, Gujarat Vidyāpīṭha, Ahmedabad, edn. third 1949), Bhāsarvajña (950 A.D.) 50 now proceeds to criticise the general tenents of Jaina philosophy, by applying the anekanta to them.
The author asks a question whether Tirthankara's word is true or not. If it is regarded as true alone, then it is not proper, because there would arise the contingency of the ekanta being admitted. And if the saptabhangi is intended to be applied here also, then we can say-The Tirthankara's word is somehow true, may be it is somehow not true and so on. As a result, there cannot be the demarketing line between pramanaand non-pramāna, since the anekanta can be commonly applied everywhere.51
49. Ibid, pp.559-560.
50. A Critical Study of the Pratyakṣa Pariccheda of Bhāsarvajña's Nyayabhuṣaṇa, p.12, Gujarat Uni. Ahmedabad, 1986. Dr. L.V. Joshi.
51. Nyayabhuṣaṇa, p.560.