Indian Culture and Jainism

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

Page 23

propositions, neither more nor less are needed to express the content of knowledge in regard to an existent. Let us now illustrate the doctrine of seven-fold proposition by taking an example of the attribute 'existence' in respect of pen.
1. The first proposition is : Syat pen exists. This means that the existence of pen is contextual, the context being its own Dravya (substance), Kșetra (space), Kāla (time) and Bhāva (state)...
2. The second proposition is : Syāt pen does not exist. It states the non-existence of pen in respect of other Dravya, Kșetra, Kāla and Bhāva. Thus it strengthens the first proposition rather than cancel it. The pen is pen only because it is not not-pen. Thus both existence and non-existence are co-present in the pen without any contradiction. According to the Jaina, non-existence is as much constitutive of the nature of thing as existence.
3. The third proposition is : Syāt pen exists and does not exist.
4. The fourth proposition is : Syāt pen is inexpressible. In this proposition the two attributes of existence and non-existence instead of being asserted successively as in the third proposition, are asserted simultaneously. Since words are incapable of expressing this apprehension of pen, the pen is inexpressible..
5. Syāt pen exists and is inexpressible. 6. Syāt pen does not exist and is inexpressible. 7. Syāt pen exists, and does not exist and is inexpressible.
All these propositions, according to the Jaina, represent a new aspect of the real 5. Doctrine of Karma as an explanation of the cognitive, conative and
affective differences existing in the world at large.
The empirical selves differ from one another in respect of cognition, conation and affection etc. What is the cause of this differene ? How to account for these perceptible distinctions among empirical selves ? The answer of the Jaina is that it is the beginningless material subtle principle known as Karma that is responsible for the cause of differences in the empirical selves. This Karma has been exercising its limiting and
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Indian Culture and Jainism