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Jaina Logic
409
state of a thing is called the empirical standpoint (vyavahāra-naya). The definitive standpoint directs its attention towards the subtle and touches upon what is essential and purely natural, while the empirical standpoint directs its attention towards the crude, adventitious and that in which there is predominance of transfer of epithet. The former concentrates on the natural properties or states of a substance, while the latter concentrates on the contingent or adventitious properties of it. An account of a soul in terms of what happens to it all by itself is its account from the definitive standpoint, while an account of it in terms of what happens to it as a result of its association with matter is its account from the empirical standpoint. In other words, the definitive standpoint penetrates into the transcendental or ultimate nature of soul, whereas the empirical standpoint studies the empirical nature of it, which is the result of its association with matter. The standpoint which recognises the soul as pure Existence, pure Consciousness and pure Bliss is the definitive standpoint. And the standpoint that recognises it as deluded, ignorant, soiled with passions like anger, greed, etc., is the empirical standpoint. In short, the empirical standpoint touches upon the conventional, gross and empirical aspect of a thing, whereas the definitive standpoint concentrates on the ultimate original pure nature of a thing. The empirical standpoint presents the popular or conventional truth, while the definitive standpoint presents the ultimate truth. As the definitive standpoint sees the Supreme Consciousness equally present in all living beings, it is permeated through and through with universal love and friendliness.
Cherishing definitive viewpoint in our heart, that is, entertaining feeling of pure affection and friendliness towards all living beings, we should perform all our worldly activities and duties. The wise describe such living as kalyāņa-vihāra ('a blissful trip in the region of Spiritual Welfare').
The definitive standpoint makes our everyday life or worldly practice (vyavahāra) pure by removing impurities or evil elements already crept into it as also by preventing those that are about to creep into it. Just as in the dark night in the mid-ocean, the helmsman saves the sailing ship from colliding with a big rock with the help of light from the lighthouse and sails it on the danger-free route, even so the definitive standpoint having removed the darkness of delusion and ignorance spreads the light of discretion, saves our conduct from being impure and evil, and makes the way to liberation easy, clearing it of all obstructions. In the transmigratory state, one cannot escape from worldly conduct or practice that
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