Jain Journal 2004 04

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

Page 48

SATYA RANJAN BANERJEE:ANEKANTAVĀDA AND LANGUAGE
249
As far as the semantics of a word is concerned, the meaning of a word can be basically divided into three categories. They are:
Sabda
T abhidhā laksaņā
vyañjanā
wash vācaka vācyārtha lakṣaṇā laksyārtha
dla vyañjaka vyangyārtha mukhyārtha, sakyārtha,
gauņi suddhā abhideyārtha
and so on
yaugika (kartā)
rūdha (kusala)
yogarūdha (pañkaja)
The picture gives us the idea of the basic meanings of a word. Abhidhä is the expressed or conventional meaning of a word, i.e. the meaning as conveyed by the direct signifecation of a word; it is, in fact, the dictionary meaning of a word. Mukulabhatta (last quarter of the 9th cent. A.D.) in his work abhidhā-vrtti-mātrkā calls abhidhā as mukhyārtha. When the principal meaning of a word is indicated, Mukulabhatta terms it mukhya. The grammarians call it sakyārtha and adhidheyārtha, because the first meaning of words is given in the dictionary; it is sakya, because it gives that meaning which the word conveys (sakya); and because the meaning is given in the dictionary (abhidhāna), it is called abhidheyārtha.
This abhidhā is of three kinds---yaugika, rūdha and yogarūdha. When a word gets its meaning from its derivation (i.e. root + sufficial meaning), the word is termed as yaugika word; e.g; kartā doer. When a word receives its meaning other than what is expressed by its derivative meaning, it is called rūdhi word, e.g; kusala meaning “expert' and not “one who collects grass.” The derivative meaning (=kušam lāti dadāti vā iti kusalaḥ) is not prominent here, particularly when we say karmaṇi kusalaḥ 'expert in work.' The yogarūdha word is a combination of yaugika and rūdha, and therefore, it has the significance of both, but the meaning refers to a third one, e.g. pañkaja.