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(32) : Jaina Philosophy of Language
can be regarded the script of Gandhāra and Bhūta-lipi that of Bhutan. Māheśvarī script may be regarded the script of the Māhesvaris, a subcaste of the business class of Vaisyas. The scripts like Yavani, kīrī (krita), Turki, Uḍiā, Mālavi, Lāța, Sindhavī, Pārasī, Nāgarī, etc. mentioned in Višeṣāvaśyaka-bhāṣya are recognised as independent scripts many of which are still in vogue.
Though the above discussion on scripts has no direct impact on the Jaina philosophy of language but this cannot be overlooked because script is suggestive of the potentiality of expression of language. Out of three forms of letters mentioned by the Jainas, the Saṁjñākṣara has direct relation with script while Vyañjanākṣara is related with sound. Labdhiakṣara is concerned with the capability of meaning of the written or oral symbols. The core of language after all is comprehension of meanings. Language gives this meaning by vocal as well as written symbols. Script symbols and sound symbols are really the means of communication of meanings, and in that way they are very important. With the help of these script and sound-symbols the word, term and sentences are constructed which in turn are helpful to the reader or the hearer in understanding the meaning of expressions of the writer or the speaker.
References:
1.
2.
Prajñāpanā- Bhāsāpada
Bhāṣā lakṣaṇo vividhaḥ sākṣaro, nakṣaraśceti
Sarvartha-siddhi- 5/24/294/12.
Dhavala - 13/5-5-26/221/10
3.1
4.
5. Samavāyānga- 34.1
Bhāṣāvijñāna by Bholanatha Tiwari, p. 28
Pañcastikāya- (Tatparya-vṛtti) 79/135/7.
Tattvärtha-sūtra 1/20.
6.
7.
8.
Viseṣāvasyaka-bhāṣya- 105
9. See. (A) Jaina Tarka Bhāṣā p.5 and (B) Viseṣāvaśyaka-bhāṣya 940-104, Hemacandra's commentary (Gujrati translation p. 58-61)
10. Tattvärtha-sütra p.25.
11. Pañcasaṁgraha 1/122.
12. Sarvarthasiddhi 5/24/294. 12 quoted by Jainendra-siddhānta-kośa pt. III p. 237.
13. Višeṣāvaśyaka-bhāṣya- 120
14. See (a) Jaina Sahitya kā Bṛhad Itihāsa Vol. I, P. 14
(b) Viseṣāvasyaka-bhāṣya- Gāthā 116 to 153.
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