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Capability of Expression in Language : (109) meanings. In other words, the object or the reality is expressible also. The Jaina philosophy thus regards reality or the objects partially expressible or describable and entirely inexpressible and indescribable. What, then is the meaning of indescribability?
Dr. Padmarajiah suggests four stages in the development of the meaning of the indescribable."
(1) Negative approach of the Vedic period: In the Vedic period, the Rsi while searching for the cosmic cause explains it as neither existent nor non-existent. Both the objects are denied there. The describability of reality as sat (existent) or asat (non-existent) is denied.
(2) Upanisadic approach: Here we find a sort of synthesis between the opposite elements viz. sat (existent) and asat (non-existent). The maxims like “Tadejati tannejati', ‘Aṇoraṇiyāna mahatomahīyāna' 'Sadsadvarenyam, etc. point towards the acceptance of both the aspects simultaneously. Ascribed with the opposite characteristics here the reality is stated as inexpressible.
(3) The third approach: It recognises the reality as indescribable as such. We find reflections of this approach in the Upanisadic maxims viz. Yatovaconivartante aprāpyamanasāsaḥ' (Taittirīya2/4), ‘Naiva vācā na manas praptum śakyah' (Kathopanisad 2/6/12) and so on. The influence of this approach can be seen on avyākṛtavāda (theory of indescribability) and the concept of catuskoti-vinirmukta-tattva (reality beyond the four categories of assertion: asti, nāsti, ubhaya and nobhaya) of Śūnyavāda (Nihilism) of Buddhist philosophy.
(4) The forth approach: This approach is developed in the form of relative indescribability in Jaina Logic. Here reality is stated as partially expressible but inexpressible in its entirety.
Generally, there can be following meanings of indescribability: (i) Negation of the expressibility of reality as both -'sat' and
'asat".
(ii) Negation of the expressibility of reality in all the three forms viz. 'sat' (existent), ‘asat' (non-existent) and 'sadasat' (existent as well
as non-existent).
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