Aptamimansa Critique of an Authority Bhasya

Author(s): Samantbhadracharya, Akalankadev, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Jagruti Dilip Sheth Dr

Page 10

INTRODUCTION
their criticism. Siddhasena says : 'Since a thing has infinite characters, it is comprehended only by the omniscient. But a thing becomes the subject-matter of a naya, when it is conceived from one particular standpoint.'" Interesting is his following statement : 'There are as many views of the form of nayas as there are the ways of speaking, while there are as many rival (non-Jaina) philosophical tenets as there are views of the form of nayas.''2 Again, he declares : 'All the standpoints (nayas) are right in their own respective spheres - but if they are taken to be refutations, each of the other, then they are wrong. But a man who knows the ‘non-onesided' (anekānta) nature of reality never says that a particular view is absolutely wrong'.13 Siddhasena was probably the first in the Jaina tradition to synthesise the Sānkhya view with the Buddhist view. Thus, he observes : The system of philosophy taught by Kapila is a representation of substance viewpoint, and that which is taught by the son of Suddhodana (the Buddha) is an exposition of mode viewpoint.'' Regarding Vaiseșika system he remarks : ‘Although the philosophical system of Kanāda applies both standpoints, it is also fallacious because the standpoints are employed each independently of the other."" "The point of Siddhasena is that the Vaiseșikas simply combine the two standpoints, but do not synthesise them. The Jainas, on the other hand, synthesise the two and build them into a coherent whole. Siddhasena also claims that the Vaišeşikas and the Buddhists are correct in so far as they point out the faults and fallacies of the Sankhya view of causation and the Sankhya philosophers are correct in so far as they criticise the Buddhists and the Vaisişikas. But when these two views of causality (satkārya and asatkārya) are adjus together in compliance with the anekānta method, the result will be the True Insight (samyag-darśana, omniscience)."!" In its unmistakably recognizable form doctrine of saptabhangi first appears in Siddhasena's Sanmati.
Next we take Jinabhadra's Viseşāvasyakabhāşya. It does not much concern itself with the views of rival systems of philosophy, though it is not wholly bereft of occasional references to some. His treatment 11. Nyāyāvatāra, verse 29 12. Sanmatitarka, III. 47 13. Ibid, 1. 28 14. Ibid, III. 48 15. Ibid, III. 49 16. B. K. Matilal, The Central Philosophy of Jainism, p. 33