Central Philosophy of Jainism Anekanta Vada

Author(s): Bimal Krishna Matilal, Nagin J Shah, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 62

The Meaning of Syāt
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"When the particle syāt is used by you (Mahavira ) as well as by a fruta-kevalin (e. g., a saint ) in a sentence, it indicates, in connection with other meanings, non-onesidedness; it qualifies (since it is a particle=nipāta) the meaning (of the sentence
concerned )". In the next verse (V. 104), Samantabhadra notes that syāt is ordinarily equal to such expressions as “kadācit” and “kathancit”. But even these terms, "kadācit" or "Kathancit” do not have in this context such vague meaning as 'somehow' or 'sometimes'. They mean: 'in some respect' or 'from a certain point of view' or 'under a certain conditin'. Thus the particle "syār” in a sentence qualifies the acceptance or rejection of the proposition or predication expressed by the sentence.109