________________
ASTINASTI VADA.
This doctrine of Astinasti Vāda may be considered to be the central idea of Jaina metaphysics. Unfortunately, it is also the view which is very often misunderstood by the non-Jaina writers. The non-Jain thinkers cannot easily appreciate how it is possible to predicate two contradictory attributes to the same object of reality. Prima facie it is impossible. You cannot say about the same object of nature that it is and that it is not. Naturally it is extremely confusing and the non-Jaina thinkers very often consider this doctrine to be the weakest point in Jaina metaphysics. Even great thinkers like Sankara and Ramanuja without appreciating the true significance of this principle condemn this as merely prattling of a mad man. Hence it is necessary for every student of Jainism to explain this principle clearly and make it within the reach of the ordinary man's understanding
Astināsti Vada implies the predication of contradictory attributes of Asti and Nāsti, 'is' and 'is not' to the same object of reality. Jaina thinkers certainly did not make the statement that the same object can be described in terms of two contradictory attributes without any limitation. What the Jaina doctrine of Astinasti Vada implies is that you can describe an object from one point of view that it is, exists, and from another point of view that it does not exist. It is certainly paradoxical to speak of the same thing from a single point of view that the object is both 'is' and 'is not'. Jaina thinkers take a practical point of view even in explaining intricate principles of metaphysics. Take the case of a piece of furniture. It may be made of ordinary jungle wood and it may be given painting to make it appear as if it is made of rose wood. Naturally a purchaser who wants to know the price of that piece of furniture would like to know the exact timber which is made use of in making that piece of furniture. If he depends upon the mere appearance he would have to pay more than what it is worth. Therefore, he may naturally enquire somebody who knows these things to find out whether the piece of furniture is made of rose wood. The expert's answer would
