Jaina Logic

Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Raja Krisen Jain Charitable Trust New Delhi

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and allied thought in the light of the development of thought in the West and in India; and it is indeed a fitting contribution to the encouragement of useful research in the field of Jainism and allied subjects Late Shri Raja Krishenji was a great visionary and social reformer. With his selfless service for the community, he sought to raise the community to the higher heights of better understanding and better life in the field of Education and community life His services have to be remembered with gratitude. He was an ideal Sravaka who took his fellowmen on to the path of purity of life, self-dependence and towards self-realisation His life and work are an inspiration to all of us. It is equally gratifying to note that Shri Premachandraji Jain is following the noble path laid down by his illustrious father in the pursuit and execution of the numerous philanthropic and beneficial projects for the welfare of society
In the course of these lectures, I have attempted to present a synoptic and analytic study of the problems of Jaina logic in the light of the development of Western and Indian thought, specially with reference to the other systems of Indian thought and epistemology. In the First lecture, I have analysed the theories of Anekanta and naya. It is important for understanding the modern concepts of relativism and probability. In the Second talk I have given a brief and critical survey of the concepts of pramānu and Niksepa. The Third lecture studies the doctrine of svadvāda and its logical and philosophical implications I have pointed out that Western logic has gone the way of pure formalism and abstraction without reference to concrete experiences. It is more linguistic and 'grammatic' in approach. It is calculus of logic. In this over-specialisation in the direction pure formalism, modern logic has lost the wood among the trees. It is merely the expression of one of the nayas, the 'sabda naya'. Jaina theory, Syadvada, in this sense, transcends formalism and presents the meta-logical analysis of thought.