Ethical Doctrines in Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

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ETHICAL DOCTRINES IN JAINISM
of the human mind. We can thus say that both Pramāṇa and Naya are essential for the proper understanding of the nature of reality. Reality being the repository of infinite attributes, the apprehension of it from a particular angle of vision, i.e., Naya, which is objectively given and not subjectively contemplated, does not exhaust the whole of the multiphased reality. So, in order to avoid the possible misunderstanding that reality is exhausted by the employment of a particular Naya, every predication should be preceded by the word syāt in order to make us aware of the possibility of other alternative predications. Hence it is known as the doctrine of Syādvāda. Syādvāda is no doubt the logical outcome of Anekāntavāda, the doctrine of the multiple nature of reality. It is simply the mode of predication or communication envisaged by the Jaina to convey the knowledge of the multiphased reality. Thus Syādvāda is the mode of expression, Anekāntavāda or Nayavāda is the mode of cognition. Syādvāda is the expression of Anekāntavāda in language. We cannot do better than quote Prof. A. N. Upadhye for exposing the relation between Syādvāda and Nayavāda, “Syādvāda is a corollary of Nayavāda: the latter is analytical and primarily conceptual and the former is synthetical and mainly verbal. Syādvāda will certainly look lame in the absence of Naya doctrine. Naya doctrine without Syādvāda has no practical value. Syādvāda in course of the process of assertion curbs down and harmonises the absolute views of individual Nayas.1" Jaina philosophers unanimously hold that in order to apprehend an aspect of a whole in its completeness or to do full justice to it, only seven (neither more nor less) forms of judgement are requisite, hence it is known as the doctrine of Saptabhangi Vāda.
CLASSIFICATION OF SUBSTANCE: Jainism takes experience as its guide and resolves the whole of the universe of being into two everlasting, uncreated, co-existing, but independent categories of Jīva and Ajīva. The Ajīva is further classified into Pudgala (matter), Dharma (principle of motion), Adharma (principle of rest), Ākāśa (space) and Kāla (time). Hence reality is dualistic as well as pluralistic. But, according to the Jaina, plurality, considered from the synthetic and objective point of view of one existence, entails unity also. According to Kundakunda, in spite of the unique characteristics possessed by the different substances, existence has been regarded as an all-comprising characteristic of reality
I Prava. Intro. LXXXV.
2 Saptabhangitarangini, p. 8.