Introducing Jainism

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 54

INTRODUCING JAINISM
changes, it is called paryāyārthikanaya. As a dravya has two aspects, it should be described logically from two points of view : positive and negative. For example, if a jar is made of clay, then it is possible to say that it is a jar made of clay. But can we describe it as a jar made of stone? Certainly not. But it must be remembered that to describe every fact of Reality four conditions are to be taken into considerations: dravya, kşetra, kāla and bhāva, i.e. name of the substance, the place where it is, the time when it exists, and characteristics presented in it.
Every object from its own dravyas admits an affirmative predication and looked at from the paradravya admits of a negative predication. So the example given above from its own substance (clay) admits of affirmative predications, and from the view of paradravya, a negative predication. Similarly, from the point of view of kşetra, it can be stated in two ways : if a thing is really in the room, then we can say affirmatively it is in the room, and negatively it is not in the room. Similarly, if a thing exists at this particular time, it may not be so at some other time. So also is the case with bhāva. If some characteristics are intrinsically present in it, it may not be so in other cases. To sum up, the whole system of syāduāda can be tabulated thus :
Syādvāda saptabhangi saptabhangi
vacanavinyāsa
applicable to Jiva
1. syād asti
prathamo bhangaḥ (in a positive way)
syād astyeva sarvam iti sadaņsa-kalpanāvibhajanena prathamo bhangaḥ "May be the jar exists."
In a certain sense jīva exists, and in another sense, it does not
2. syān nāsti dvitiyo bhangah syān nāstyeva sarvam In a certain sense
(in a negative iti paryudäsa- jiva does not way). kalpanā-vibhajanena exist, in another
dvitiyo bhangah sense it exists. “May be the jar does not exist."