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Jaina Philosophy of Word : (63) disposition is different from the sphoța then their mutual relation will not be possible and in that case manifestation of sphota from phoneme (letters-sound) will be impossible. Again, in the condition when both are identical, if phoneme is unable to produce meaning then the sphoța too can not produce the meaning.
The existence of sphoța cannot be proved. The ability of manifestation of meaning is only in the conscious entity and not in any element. If the conscious self is called as sphoța, Jainas have no objection because sphota is that from which the meaning bursts out or manifested. Apart from the conscious entity-self, existence of any independent element named, as sphota is not proved, hence it is better to accept that the power of manifestation of meaning is inherent in the word. It also implies that for the manifestation of the meaning, assumption of sphoța is not necessary
Not only Jainas but Naiyāyikas and Mimāṁsakas also refute the theory of sphota. According to Kumārila Bhatta, the words are combination of letters, which manifest the meaning. In word-sound, the previous sound can not be regarded as meaningless. Actually, the mental impressions (saṁskāras) of words collectively manifest the meaning. Thus, acceptance of independent sphoța is not necessary. Jainas also maintain that combination of relative letters make a word and combination of relative words make a sentence, which itself manifests its meaning. Thus in Jainas opinion, sphota is nothing additional to the mental impression or dispositional tendency of the word or letters. Buddhist Theory of Apohavāda (Theory of exclusion or double negation) and its refutationa? Buddhists contention
The question of denotation of word (Vācyārtha) has been one of the disputable questions of Indian philosophy. Buddhists have propounded a theory of Apohavāda in this regard. Apoha means exclusion of the idea which does not deserve it (atadvyāvrtti or anyavyāvrtti) or which is different from its own. In other words to exclude denotatum of one word from the denotatum of others or exclusion of others (anyāpoha) is sphota. For example the word 'cow', implies the negation of ‘not cow'. The
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