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THE A. B. C. OF JAINISM
213 permanent. Thus, in a pot the pot itself is a creation, its form is impermanent and the earth which makes it is permanent. In this way a thing like a pot is proved by Syadvada to be both permanent and perishable.
Furthermore, this very philosophy shows from different aspects that a pot is and at the same time it is not. Everything has to be considered from four separate aspects—the matter, space, time and feature. These are known in terms of Jaina scriptures as Dravya, Kshetra, Kala and Bhava. A black earthen pot made in Calcutta during the rainy season exists (or is) so long as it is considered from that standpoint, but the moment we consider it as made of gold or of yellow colour, or as made in some other place and season it does not exist (or is not).
Still further, this doctrine of Syadvada says that a class of things has one common feature, and also every individual that forms the class has its own distinctive mark. If we take a herd of hundred cows, we find that they have one common characteristic of being a cow, and in addition each one of them has its own peculiar feature which distinguishes it from the rest.
Thus we have seen what is Syadvada and how far it goes. It is not scepticism as misconstrued by some. They ask what is it but scepticism to believe a thing as permanent and at the same time liable to distruction, and also as existent and nonexistent. One who really understands what a doubt is will never come forward to consider Syadvada as akin to scepticism. A doubt is that which cannot be definitely cognised or understood. Can any one say that Syadvada is inexplicable or irreconcilable ? On the other hand it is the one key which gets us a true view point, and teaches us how to look at the universe.
Thus from all that we have seen we can say that Syadvada gives different view points of an object by the analysis of its various aspects. It tells us the creation (Utpatti), permanence or non-permanence (Nityatva or Anityatva), and existence or non-existence (Astitva or Nastitva) of a thing. The whole Jaina
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Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
