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Anekānta and Problem of Meaning
Kundakunda's treatment
Kundakunda in his monumental philosophical work Samayasāra elucidates the empirical self from the empirical standpoint and the transcendental self from the transcendental standpoint. Since the empirical standpoint deals with the impure, accidental, pervert, superimposed and unreal condition of the mundane soul, its statement may yeild the figurative, metaphorical and secondary meaning. Again, since this accidental impurity is caused by the material body, the physical qualities like color, touch, smell, taste, form etc. are superimposed on or transfered to the self ; and conequently all non-self qualities are figuratively affirmed of the self. 47
Thus, for example, Kundakunda contends that from the empirical standpoint the self and body are certainaly one and by lauding the holy body of Arhat one may think that the Arhat is lauded and adored. But from the transcendental or real standpoint, the qualities of body are not found in the perfect soul. He who lauds the attributes of the perfect soul, really lauds the perfect soul. *4 For, just as admiring the the city can never become admiration of the king, so by lauding the qualities of body the attributes of perfect soul are never lauded. 4 9 Again from the practical standpoint the remark is made of (king's) military forces, "the king has gone out," (although not) the king only out also his military forces are gone out with him.60 Common people, seeing some one looted in the way, say, "the way is looted”, but no way whatsoever is really looted. Similarly, seeing the karmic matter in the soul it has been said from the empirical standpoint, "this colour etc. is of the soul”.5%
From a few examples cited above it is obvious that kundakunda's statements of practical or empirical standpoint may suggest the secondary meaning while his statements of transcendental or real standpoint may convey the primary or 'real' meaning.
It is needless to say that his doctrine of standpoints is the corollary of the theory of anekānta or indeterminateness.
Conclusion
To conclude, we may observe that a word or a sentence may possess multivalance, multilevels and multi-dimensions of meaning. Like the manifold, indeterminate and realtive reality its knowledge
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