________________
Jaina Philosophy of Word : (69) a complicated complex of perception and imagination, thing and notthing, affirmation and negation.28 The Image theory and Jainism
During the discussion whether the meaning of a word is particular or a universal, we have already seen that Jaina philosophy regards the denotation of a word as particular qualified by universal. This needs explanation as to what the particular/individual qualified by universal is? Whether it is the object or the comprehended meaning? By comprehended meaning, we mean the mental image or the reflections of the consciousness. Where the Nyāya-Vaiseșika regards it as an object, the grammarians and to some extent the Buddhists take it as comprehended meaning or a mental image, the Jainas adopt a middle path by synthesising the two views. According to them, the denotation of the word is neither the mental image nor the external object. It is rather the image of the object as formed in the consciousness. On the basis of perceptible cognition the theory can be called as the image-theory,' or a 'figure-theory (ākstivāda) 29. By hearing the words, there appears or reflect a image of the object denoted by the word in our consciousness and the same image becomes the object of our perception or understanding. When we hear the word 'cow', we get reflected to the figure of cow which is different from that of a horse and we act accordingly with the help of this figure. Thus, the meaning of the word is an image or figure of the experienced object. By hearing the word 'cow' there appears in our consciousness a figure of an animal with a dewlap and so on and then, that figure of the cow acts as an object. Thus, according to Jainas, though the word refers to a real object, but what is the synonym of the word, is the image qualified by particular.
The Jainas are also of the view that the determination of the meaning of the word or the creation of its object's figure in consciousness is made possible by knowledge and teachings. It is only when teachers and parents by pronouncing the word, 'cow' indicate the object called, 'cow' (which has dewlap etc.), we learn the meaning of the word 'cow' Again, the object denoted by the word 'cow' is a real object but its meaning is the figure of the cow. Jainas then distinguish the denoted object with the denotation. The object denoted by the word is external but its denotation is a figure or idea. It is the figure or an image, which is on the one hand,
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
