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Chapter 5
Theories for the Determination of
Meaning: Naya & Nikṣepa
Meaning of word and Statement
To understand the correct meaning of a word or a sentence, it is necessary for the listener to consider not only the words but also the intention of the speaker. Many a times sentences of similar terminology convey different meanings because of the intention of the speakers, his style of utterance, and the immediate context. The Jaina ācāryas have presented two theories viz. Naya (viewpoint) and Nikṣepa (positing) to explain the intention of the speaker. The fundamental aim of the theories is to help the listener in understanding the correct meaning of the words and the statements of the speaker. Naya is defined by the Jaina ācāryas as the intention of the speaker" It is necessary to consider the intention of the speaker and the context to determine the right meaning of the statement. Naya theory tells us the method, on the basis of which one may correctly understand the speaker's intention and the immediate context of the statement. In Jaina philosophy, the concept of naya and nikṣepa dates back before the theories of Syādvāda and Saptabhangi were developed. In the first chapter of Tattvartha-sutra, the concepts of naya and nikṣepa are clearly mentioned, although a clear exposition of the concepts of syādvāda and saptabhangī is missing there. The aphorism 'arpitānārpite siddheḥ" of the fifth chapter of Tattvārtha-sūtra basically refers to 'Naya' i.e. the general and the specific view point. Syādvāda and saptabhangī were developed afterwards on the basis of the canonical theory of Vibhajyavāda i.e. the method of analytic answering and the philosophical theory of 'Naya' (view-point). In fact, the Jaina theory of naya, nikṣepa, syadvāda and saptabhangī are related to the philosophy of language and the science of meaning.
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