________________
Jaina Logic
We have briefly dealt with the seven standpoints. The subject-matter of naigama-naya is both Existence (Being) and non-Existence (non-Being), because the object of resolve, conception or popular convention is both Existence and non-Existence. The subject-matter of sangraha-naya is more limited in extent than that of naigama-naya, because its subject-matter is Existence (Being) alone. And the subject-matter of vyavahara-naya is divisions of Existence. Rjusutra-naya is subtler than vyavahara-naya. Śabdanaya is subtler than jusutra-naya'. Samabhiruḍha-naya is subtler than sabdanaya, and evambhūta-naya is subtler than samabhiruḍha-naya. Thus every succeeding naya exhibits more subtlety than every preceding naya. In other words, every succeeding naya is more limited in extent than every preceding naya. As the first three nayas are gross, they grasp the generic aspect of things. Rjusutra-naya accepts only the present phase-not the past or the future; hence it is obvious that its subject-matter comes into view not as something generic, but as something specific. And of the three nayas coming after rjusutra, each succeeding one is subtler than the preceding one; hence the subject-matter of the succeeding one is more specific than that of the preceding one.
Every preceding naya is wider than every succeeding naya. Naigamanaya deals with both Being and non-Being, while sangraha-naya with only Being. Naigama is thus wider than sangraha. Vyavahara-naya deals with particular forms or entities of Being, while sangraha-naya with general Being. Sangraha is, therefore, wider than vyavahāra. Ṛjusūtra-naya is concerned with present only, while vyavahara-naya with past, present and future. Vyavahāra is thus wider than jusutra. Sabda-naya deals with the arthas (meanings, things) which it regards as differing according to differences of time (tense), gender, etc. Rjusutra-naya makes no such distinction and is, therefore, wider than sabda-naya. Samabhiruḍha-naya distinguishes between the arthas of even synonymous words, according to their varying etymologies. Śabda-naya does not do so. Sabda-naya, therefore, is wider than samabhiruḍha-naya. Evambhūta-naya is confined to arthas only while they perform a particular activity and thus it distinguishes between arthas according to the activities connoted by the terms. Samabhiruḍha-naya distinguishes between the meanings of words according to their varying etymologies, but it applies the term to the thing which
379
1. As sabda-naya recognises distinctions of meanings of even synonymous words on the basis of distinctions of time (tense), etc., it is subtler than jusutra.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
