Book Title: Jaina Culture
Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Previous | Next

Page 76
________________ RELATIVISM The naigama-naya views an object as possessing both the general and the particular properties, emphasising either of the two. 'I am conscious' is an example of this standpoint. Here the property consciousness' is a general one existing in all living being, whereas the term 'I' is indicative of my particular personality. The sangraha-naya deals with the highest generality. ‘All is real because all exists' is an example of this standpoint. In its pure form, it is only concerned with the simple proposition ‘it is', that is to say, when the thing is mentioned divested of all its particular properties. The vyavahāra-naya takes into consideration a generic object as possessing specific properties, which is only a part of the object of the sangraha-naya. 'Existence is either substance or modification' is an instance of this standpoint. The rjusūtra-naya deals with the present aspect of a thing. 'I am happy at this moment is an example of this standpoint. The sabda-naya treats synonymous words as all having the same meaning. For instance, jar (kumbha), pitcher (kalasa) and pot (ghața) are all expressive of one and the same thing. The samabhirudha-naya holds that with the difference of words the objects also differ. Just as a jar and a piece of cloth are different, so also a jar, a pitcher and a pot signify different things according to their derivative meanings. The evambhuta-naya recognises an object denoted by a word when the object is in the actual state of performing its own natural function as suggested by the derivative meaning of that word. For instance, teacher means one who teaches. When a teacher is not teaching, he would not be called teacher at that time. He is teacher when he teaches.

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162