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RELIGIOUS SECTS
character which justifies another epithet which they acknowledge, of Syádvádís, or assertors of possibilities; the seven positions are the following:
1. A thing is; 2. it is not; 3. it is and it is not; 4. it is not definable; 5. it is, but is not definable; 6. it is not, neither is it definable; 7. it is and it is not, and is not definable. Now these positions imply the doctrines of the different schools, the Sánkhya, Vedanta, and others, with regard to the world, to life, and to spirit, and are met in every case by the Jains with the reply, Syádvú, It may be so sometimes; that is, whatever of these dogmas is advanced will be true in some respects, and not in others; correct under some circumstances, and not under others; and they are therefore not entitled to implicit trust, nor are they irreconcileable. There is one inference to be drawn from this attempt to reconcile the leading doctrines of the principal schools, of some importance to the history of the Jain doctrines, and it renders it probable that they were posterior to all the rest. As this reasoning however has been opposed by RÁMÁNUJA, it dates earlier than the twelfth century.
Liberation during life and, as a necessary consequence, exemption after it from future birth implies the abandonment of eight classes of Karmas, or acts, four of which are noxious and four innoxious; they are all included under the Tattwa Pápa, Ill, as above noticed, but are also more especially detailed. To the first order belong the following:
Jnánávarana, disregard of the various stages of
