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Tattvarthasutra
[1. 34-35] 2. The one who considers, based predominantly on words, the distinctions of meaning according to various verbal dharmas is called 'shabdanaya' (the perspective of words). The first distinction of 'shabdanaya' as indicated in the sutra by Lord Umaswati is 'sampra' (present). That is, 'shabdanaya' encompasses the three distinctions of general term 'sampra', 'sambhirudha', and 'evambhuta', but in all prevalent traditions, the term 'shabdanaya' has become established primarily in the first distinction called 'sampra', and the term 'sampra naya' has been replaced by 'shabdanaya'. Therefore, rather than providing a general explanation of 'sampra naya' here, the term 'shabdanaya' has been used while giving a specific clarification. The explanation provided is the commentary on the clarification of 'sampra naya'.
3. The consideration based on the etymology of the word leading to the distinction of meaning is 'sambhirudh naya'.
4. The perspective that recognizes the object only in accordance with the meaning derived from the word being present, and not otherwise, is 'evambhuta naya'.
Although 'rijusutranaya' does not completely ignore the conception of past and future by man, often human intellect tends to lean toward immediate results and begins to engage in the present. In such cases, human intellect starts to assume that what is present is the truth and is effective, while past and future objects, not being operative in the present, are considered void. Since present prosperity is the means of happiness, it can be called prosperity. The remembrance of past prosperity or the conception of future prosperity cannot be considered prosperity in the present as they are not conducive to happiness. Similarly, a son is a son only if he exists in the present and serves the parents. However, a son who exists in the past or the future, but is not present, is not a son. Thus, considerations related only to the present time fall under 'rijusutranaya'.
Shabdanaya—when the intellect, delving deep into thought, becomes ready to cut the roots of both the past and future, it also becomes prepared to cut any other root. It begins to act solely focusing on the word and contemplates that if only the present is accepted on the grounds of separation from past or future, then why should different words with distinct genders, tenses, numbers, cases, persons, and prefixes that are used in the same meaning not be interpreted differently? Just like in all three tenses...