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Jainism asserts that knowledge attained is the knowledge of real objects. What is known is not all aspects of the reality of an object, but only one or some. In Jainism, knowledge depends on experience and experience is always partial, in the sense that reality in totality is never revealed. Under the circumstance, whatever is known is known in relation to a standpoint and therefore "absolution is to be surrendered." This is the root of Naya-väda and Syädväda. Naya-väda The term Anekäntaväda consists of three terms: 'Aneka', 'Anta', and 'Väda', The term 'Aneka', means 'many or more than one', 'Anta' means 'aspects' or 'attributes' and 'Väda' means 'ism' or 'theory'. In its simple sense, it is a philosophy or a doctrine of manifold aspects. It has been variously described and translated by modern scholars. Prof. S. N. Dasgupta expresses it as 'relative pluralism' against 'extreme absolutism.' Dr. Chandradhar Sharma translates it as "doctrine of manyness of reality". Dr. Satkari Mookerjee expresses it as a doctrine of 'non-absolutism'. This is also expressed as a theory of "conditional predication' or 'theory of relativity of propositions." Since the doctrine of 'Anekäntaväda' is opposed to absolutism or monism (Ekänta-väda), we would prefer a phrase "doctrine of non-absolutism" to convey the meaning of Anekäntaväda. The doctrine of Anekantaväda can be subdivided in two categories:
• Naya-väda relates to thoughts and analysis
• Syädväda relates to speech What we know by the analytical process of Naya-väda, we express by the synthesis of Syädväda and the base of both is knowledge. According to the Jains, in order to have a complete and comprehensive judgment of reality one has to take into account the main substance that has the element of permanence and undergoes changes in various forms. In this process of change, the previous form dies away and a new form comes into existence. The birth of the new form is called Utpäd (emergence), the death of the old form is called Vyaya (disappearance) and the substance, which remains constant during this process of birth and death, is called Dhrauvya (Permanence). When one is able to comprehend all these three, one can arrive at a proper judgment about the thing in question. When the self takes the form of a human being, you can know it as a 'man' or a 'woman'. When it takes a form of vegetable, you can describe it as grass'. All these descriptions are true from the standpoint of the forms that the self has assumed. Therefore, when we recognize a thing from the point of view of the modification or change, it is called 'Paryäyärthika Naya'. Paryaya means modification, change. However, when we recognize that thing from the point of view of substance, it is called Dravyarthika Naya. In the former mode is predominant and substance subordinate, in the latter substance predominant and mode subordinate. The former considers changing aspect of reality while the latter considers its permanent aspect. The greatest contribution that the Jains have made to the world of thought is by their theories of Nayaväda and Syädväda. The word 'Syäd in Sanskrit means 'perhaps' but in Jainism it is used to show the relativity of a judgment and the word 'Naya' means 'Standpoint'. Truth or reality is always complex and has many aspects. If one is impressed by one of the aspects of a complex reality and begins to identify the reality, only by that aspect, he is bound to make a wrong judgment about reality. Therefore, the Jain seers exhort us to look at the complexities of life and knowledge from every standpoint and from positive as well as negative aspects. They recognize that the comprehension (view) of an ordinary human being is partial and hence valid only from a particular point of view, which cannot give a correct or even a nearly correct comprehension of the whole. The complex reality has not only an infinite number of qualities but also an infinite number of relations. Again, it may be looked at differently by different people and under their different circumstances. It assumes different forms and appearances for which due allowance ought to be made. All this makes it difficult to form a correct judgment about it unless a systematic and logical method is found to identify it. This method is called Naya-väda. As Dr. S. Rädhäkrishnan observes: "The doctrine of Nayas of Standpoint is a peculiar feature of Jain logic. A Naya is a standpoint from which we make a statement about a thing. What is true from one standpoint may not be true from another. Particular aspects are never adequate to the whole reality. The relative solutions are abstractions under which reality may be regarded, but do not give us a full and sufficient account of it. Jainism has a basic and fundamental principle that truth is relative to our standpoint."
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