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 97

The Logical Structure of Syadvada
As a result, we can say that avaktavya is not the third truth-value in the logical sense of the term, because it does not arise out of the violation of the laws of logic such as non-contradiction and excluded middle.
The above discussion suggests that Prof. Pandey's attempt to interpret syādvāda as a kind of many-valued logic is not satisfactory. Now let us turn to the second model.
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The Model of Modal Logic
We have seen that the interpretation of syādvāda as a kind of manyvalued logic does not give an adequate account of the significance of the term syāt in syādvāda. In this second interpretation, however, there is an attempt to attach some special significance to it. According to this interpretation the term syāt means 'may be', 'perhaps', 'possibly' or 'probably'. One can now formalise a syāt-statement by using some modal operator (say, M). But two points have to be noted at the outset before we try to formalise the seven-fold scheme in terms of the modal operator.
(i) Although Jainas use the same term syāt throughout the sevenfold scheme of syadvada, the different occurrences of 'syať point at different standpoints in different cases. 'Syať' in 'syāt asti' does not point at the same standpoint as 'syāť' in 'syāt nāsti" does. Now although the third bhanga 'syat asti nāsti ca' contains only one occurrence of syat we will have to analyse it as 'syāt asti syāt nāsti ca' and also keep in mind that the two occurrences of syat in this analysis do not point at the same stand-point. The same thing has to apply to our use of the modal operator M.
7. This interpretation was first suggested by Prof. S. S. Barlingay in his "A Modern Introduction to Indian Logic", National Publishing House, New Delhi, First Edition (1965). p.6, p.65. His suggestion was further developed in terms of the kinds of possibilities by Prof. M. P. Marathe in his paper "An Analysis of Syat in syädvada" (Studies in Jainism, Op. cit., pp. 141-155) The formalisation of the sevenfold scheme in terms of a modal operator was suggested and examined by me in a Marathi article "Syadvada, Svarupa āņi Maryādā” in Paramarśa, Vol. I No. 3, Deptt. of Philosophy, University of Poona (1979).