Indian Culture and Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Vidya Samsthan

Page 21

(iv) Meaning of two axiological Nayas40 :
The Niścaya Naya grasps the soul in its undefiled state of existence in contradistinction to the Vyavahāra Naya which describes the self as bound, impure and the like. No doubt, we are in the defiled form of existence from beginningless past, but the Niścaya Naya reminds us of our spiritual magnificence and glory. It prompts the sullied self to behold its spiritual heritage. It endeavours to infuse and instill into our minds the imperativeness of Suddha Bhāvas after abundantly showing us the empirical and evanescent character of Subha and Aśubha Bhāvas that bind the soul to mundane existence. It does not assert that the soul is at present perfect but simply affirms that the self ought to attain the height illuminated by it. It has the force of 'ought' and not of 'is', but this force is valid for empirical selves. Niścaya Naya points to the potentiality of the empirical self to become pure and enjoy its unalloyed status.... Briefly, we may say that to make Anekāntic reality. intelligible from the metaphysical perspective, Dravyārthika and Paryāyārthika Nayas are necessary and to make an axiological assessment of Anekāntic reality from the spiritual perspective, Niscaya and
Vyavahāra Nayas can not be dispensed with. S ' 4. Device of Syāvāda as the key to the pointed communicability of
knowledge
The significant fact about knowledge is its communicability. When the knowledge is for one's own self, the question of communicability can be dispensed with; but when it is for the other, the question needs serious consideration. Communicability is accomplished through properly worded propositions and formulation of propositions is dependent on the content of knowledge. If there is discordance between the content of knowledge and formulation of propositions, serious misunderstandings are bound to arise. Syādvāda is the linguistic device to represent without any omission and distortion the content of knowledge. Thus in a way Syādvāda and knowledge become the obverse and the converse of the same coin.
The Jaina thinkers propound that the object has infinite antagonistic characteristics - some known, some in the process of being discovered
14
Indian Culture and Jainism