Historical Development Of Jaina Philosophy And Religion

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Z_Jaina_Literature_and_Philosophy_a_Critical_Approach_001936_HR.pdf

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Aspects of Jainology : Volume VI
accepted in Upanişadas and Buddhism. So far as Jain- ism is concerned it is in the Bhagavatisūtra where for the first time these different ways of expressions (Bhangas ) are found. In Bhagavatisatra (9/5 ) while dealing with the concept of Hell, Heaven and abode of Siddhas, Lord Mahāvira mentioned only three ways of expression, i. e., affirmation, negation and in- expressibility but while dealing with the aggregates of the different numbers of atom, he mentioned more than twenty-three ways of expressions. Pt. Dalsukha Malvania is right when he says that of course we have seven predications or Saptabhangi in Bhagavatisütra, but in my humble opinion these different ways of expressions (Bhangas ) do not represent the doctrine of seven-fold predications rather it is only a prior state. Here, these ways of expressions are framed on the number of atoms in aggregates. Secondly, this discussion may be a later interpolation because in Tattvārthasutra and its auto-commentary, this concept of seven-fold predication is absent. Thirdly, it is also clear that neither in Bhagavatisutra nor in the Tattvārthasūtra and it's auto-commentary, the theory of seven-fold predication is systematically presented in its logical form, with number of predications as seven and only seven. For the first time in Siddhasena Divākara's Sanmatitarka, this theory of seven-fold predication is logically presented. After that in Āpta- mimāmsā of Samantabhadra (c. 5th ), Sarvärthasiddhi of Pujyapāda (c. 6th ), Pañcāstikāya ( 14 ) and Pravacanasāra (2/23 ) of Kundakunda (c. 6th A. D.) and some other later works of this period this doctrine of seven-fold conditional predication has been discu- ssed in detail. In general, there are only three types of our linguistic expression - affirmation, negation and inexpressibility. On the basis of these three funda- mental ways of linguistic expressions and their combinations mathematically only seven predications are possible neither more nor less. In order to show the conditionality or relativity of these seven-fold predi-
cations Jaina ācāryas put a qualifying mark before each of the predication / statement, so that the affirmation or negation or even in-expressibility of predication may not be taken as absolute. This qualifying mark is the word 'Syāt' (RTC), which being put before every predication, removes the every possibility of uncertainity and indefiniteness of the predication and make the predication conditional as well as relative. The seven-fold conditional predications are as follows:
1. Conditional affirmation (RIT afta) 2. Conditional negation ( PTL ifta) 3. Conditional inexpressibility (RIT 3Tama)
4. Conditional affirmation and negation respectively ( RITG 31 anita a)
5. Conditional affirmation and inexpressibility ( RTG 31 7 379Tel 7)
6. Conditional negation and inexpressibility ( RUG Ta 3athai 7 )
7. Conditional affirmation, negation and inexpressibility (स्यात् अस्ति च नास्ति च अवक्तव्यं च)
It is noteworthy that for Jainas inexpressibility (anirvacaniyatā or avyaktavyata ) does not denote absolute inexpressibility as Vedānta means. It is only conditional inexpressibility because simultaneous affirmation and negation are not possible in our linguistic expressions.
The Jaina doctrines of non-absolutism, conditional predication and view-points yielded good results particularly in that age of philosophical disputation as well as religious and social conflicts. Though the Jaina thinkers made optical estimation of the philosophical assumptions of other schools of thought yet they paid proper respect to them and accepted their Truth value on the basis of different Nayas. In this regard the views of Siddhasena Divākara and Haribhadra are commendable. Siddhasena tried to establish the truth value of other schools of thought on different view-points. He said Sankhya school is