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ANEKANTAVADA-SYADVADA
311
When we are looking at its present modification, we should not absolutely deny the past or the future ones: the peculiai position leads us to conditional affirmation, conditional negation and conditional indescribability, which by their combination give rise seven possible statements.20
It is thus clear that Syādvāda relates to knowledge derived only through the senses. We have shown above while discussing Nayavāda that the various methods of approach can be grasped and analysed. A synthesis of these methods or modes forms the basis of Syādvāda. Syādvādā is thus a corollary of Nayavāda; the latter is analytical and primarily conceptual and the former is synthetical and mainly verbal. It should be expressly understood that 1) the doctrine of Asti-Nāsti is distinctly confined to the world of reality only or to an object in the world. 2) The doctrine should not be applied to non-existing things.
The doctrine is formulated in seven steps :
1) Syādasti (may be, is) 2) Syānuāsti (may be, is not) 3) Syādasti Nāsti ca (may be, is and is not) 4) Syādavaktavyam (may be, is inexpressible) 5) Syādasti ca Avaktavyam (may be, is in expressible) 6) Syānnāsti ca Avakta vyam (may be, is not and inexpressible) 7) Syādasti ca Nāsti ca Avaktavyam (may be, is and is not
and inexpressible).
is inexpressible)
An illustration will make these propositions clear. The seven predications are expressed by the permutation and combination of the three expressions: asti, nāsti and avaktavyam, the word syāt being common to all of them. Where the predicate is simple, it relates to an object; where it is complex, the predication is relative with reference to the characteristics of Dravya, its place, . time or space. Take for example, a jar made of clay and another substance like a cloth.
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