Anekanta Philosophy of Co existence

SR No.: 006914
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati
Publication Year: 2010
Total Pages: 204
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 94

The Doctrine of Nayas: Infinite Modes and Infinite Approaches
79
The problem of the relation between word and meaning (ideas and things) is worthy of consideration in this connection. Word and meaning are quite distinct entities. Their causal efficiencies are distinct. The conditions of their productions are different Word and its meaning stand in the relation of significant and significate. The significant is the word, sign or symbol while the significate is the thing or the idea meant by the significant. There cannot be the relation of identity between the significant- and the significate and, therefore, how can diversity of the significate follow from the diversity of the significant? The solution of the problem can be sought in the light of the words like cognition-cognitum and the luminous objects like the sun, the lamp etc. (1) There is no relation of identity between a cognition and its cognitum although the former is the determinant of the latter. Now, if the knower-known relationship can be admitted between the cognition and the cognitum in spite of their (epistemological) difference, what is the difficulty in accepting the denotatum-denotative relationship between a word and the thing (meant by the word), in spite of their (ontological) difference ? (2) It is common sense that the luminous objects like the sun, the lamp etc. illuminate a pot and other things, though they are physically different from one another. But, if there can exist illumined-illuminator relationship between a pot and a lamp