ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 128

3. The Seven Nayas The realities of the world are innumerable and they can be grasped from innumerable points of view. According to Ācārya Akalanka, in Sanmati-tarka, the standpoints are the presuppositions of inquiries, embodying the points of view fro which they are investigating the thing in question. In ordinary cognition, the knower partially sees the thing from particular point of view. Consequently, the nature of thing that is revealed to him is necessarily conditioned and limited by this particular viewpoint which is giving only some partial knowledge. Ācārya Siddhasena says, “Since a thing has many characters, it is completely comprehended only by the omniscient. But a thing becomes the matter of a naya, when it is perceived from a particular standpoint.'
The Jaina ācārya propose seven nayas even though there are many. These seven nayas are broadly divided into two categories:
Dravyārthika Naya (substance view, dealing with generality) Paryāyārthika Naya (model view, dealing with particularly)
Substance standpoint is the view of looking at the identity of things (abheda), while mode or modal viewpoint is the view which looks at the differences of things. Man speaks of something either from the standpoint of identity or from that of difference. Statements of things from the form point of view are put under the head of Substance viewpoint. Propositions of objects, according their differences, fall under the category of mode viewpoint. Many minor classifications of things ranging between general (dravyārthika) and particular (paryāyārthika) viewpoints are a possible. But briefly speaking, there can be only two groups of statements. The viewpoint identity on which the statements of generalization are founded is called the dravyārthika naya; while the viewpoint of difference on which the statements of particularization are founded paryāyārthika-naya.
Dravyanayas are of three kinds:
1. Naigama-naya 2. Saṁgraha-naya 3. Vyavahāra-naya
They are also called artha-nayas. They refer to objects or meanings. Paryāya or paryāyārthika nayas are four kinds:
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