Jain Journal 2012 07

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

Page 31

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JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XLVII, NO. 1-IV JULY.-JUNE 12-13
Akalamka Bhatta in his Nyāya-Viniscaya says, 'the sevenfold description operates by way of affirmation and negation (expressed with the functor) 'in a certain sense in keeping with the complex structure consisting in substance and modes as well as in the universal character and the particular character?22. According to the Jainas, as Pragati Jain says, each predication expresses only one aspect of the truth about the object of knowledge. The seven predications taken together, however, provide an exclusive and exhaustive list of the correct ways of speaking about the reality of the object concerned23. To define saptabangi, ācāryya Hemacandra in his book AnyayogaVyāvaccheda-Dvātrimśikā says, “aparyāyam vastu samasyamānamdravyametacca vivicyamāna / ādeśabhedodinasaptabhangamdidrsaştamvudharupavedyamll”24 Mallişeņa Sūri in his book Syādavāda Mañjari explain this verse thus -- saptabhangi is defined as a statement (vacanavinyāsa) in seven different ways -- to be mentioned hereafter -- of affirmation and negation, with the use of the word 'syāt', singly and jointly without inconsistence such as that arising from conflict with pratyakşa, as the result of inquiry each of the different predicates of thing such as sattva (existence) etc2.
These seven predications, according to Syādvāda Mañjari of Mallişeņa Sūri are:
1. Syādastaiva sarvam iti vidhikalpanayā prathamobhangah : Statement of affirmation made singly.
2. Syādastaiva sarvam iti nişedhakalpanayā dvitīyaḥ : Statement of negation made singly.
3. Syādastaiva sarvam iti kramato vidhiniședhakalpanayā tritīyaḥ : Statement of affirmation and negation made conjointly, but in such a way as to avoid inconsistency which can be done by making the affirmation and the negation one after the another (kramataḥ)
4. Syādavaktavayam iti yugapad vidhinişedhakalpanaya