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

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Jaina Theory of Multiple Facets of Reality and Truth The Buddha, who adopted these techniques in answering numerous metaphysical questions put to him by various disciples and disputants, himself claims to be a vibhajjavādin". The Sūtrakstānga of the Jainas requires the Jaina monk to explain a problem with the help of vibhajjavāda'. It shows that the Jainas as well as the Buddhists followed the analytical method of explanation. It is possible that the earliest division of the above questions was made into ekaṁsavyākaraṇīya pañhā, and (2) anekaṁsavyākaraṇīya pañhā corresponding to the Jaina classification of two kinds of statements (ekamsikā dhammā and anekamsikā dhammā). Later, the latter class would have been subdivided into the (i) vibhajjavyākaranīya, and (ii) thāpaniya. Patipucchāvyākaranīya is a sub-class of vibhajjavyākaranīya."
A point to be noted here is that the Buddha used the word anekamsa in his preachings. For instance-ekamsikā pi mayā dhammā desitāpaññattā, anekamsikā pi mayā dhammā desitā paññattā. Here anekamsika, like vibhajjavāda, is similar to anekāntavāda of Jainism. But the fundamental difference between these two theories is that the Jainism accepts all statements to possess some relative (anekāntika) truth, while the Buddhism does not accept that all non-categorical statements (anekaṁsikā) can be true or false from one standpoint or another. Anekāntavāda, unlike anekaṁsikavāda, conceives of the possibility of knowing reality from one or more standpoints. 2. Nayavāda Pāli literature indicates some of the characteristics of Nayavāda. The Buddha mentions ten possible ways of claiming knowledge in the course of addressing the Kālāmas. The ten ways are: (i) anussavena, (ii) paramparayā, (iii) itikirāya, (iv) pițakasampadāya, (v) bhavyarūpatāya, (vi) samaņo na guru, (vii) takkihetu, (viii) nayahetu, (ix) ākāraparivitakkena, and (x) dițțhinijjhānakkhantiyā. Of these, the eighth way, viz. nayahetu is more important for our study. Here naya
2. Majjhimamikaya, ii. 46. 3. Vibhajjavāyam ca vyāgarejja/Sūtrakytānga, 1.14.22. 4. Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge by K.N. Jayatilleke, p. 292. 5. Dīghanikāya, i. 191. 6. Anguttaramikaya, ii. 191-3.