Jaina Culture

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Page 74

RELATIVISM
86
The mode of the pot points to its form or shape. Viewed from the standpoint of a particular form such as its contracted neck the pot is existent.
To be more clear, the proposition 'Relatively the pot exists' means that the pot is existent so far as its own individuality is concerned by reason of its substance, place, time and mode. Its substance is the material of which it is made, its place is the locality where it lies, its time is the period during which it exists and its mode is the form which it assumes. Everything exists in its own individuality and does not exist in the individuality of another. Were it not so, everything would be alike existent and thus, there would possibly be no individuality at all.
The second proposition 'Relatively the pot does not exist' means that the pot is non-existent if looked at from the point of view of the absence of its substance, place, time and mode. In other words, the pot does not exist with reference to another substance such as gold etc., with reference to another place such as some other room etc., with reference to the time preceding its origination or succeeding its destruction and with reference to another mode such as broad neck etc. . The third proposition 'Relatively the pot exists and does not exist' means that the pot is existent as regards its own substance etc. and non-existent with regard to the substance etc. of another thing. The first part of this proposition is true from the viewpoint of the existence of the individual properties of the pot and the second part is true from the standpoint of the non-existence of other properties in it. The third proposition is the combination of the first and second propositions. It describes both existence and non-existence successively.
The fourth proposition 'Relatively the pot is indescri. bable' means that the pot cannot be described if both