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Jaina Theory of Multiple Facets
Reality and Truth
Ajivikas seem to have accepted the basic principle of Jaina epistemology, without going to the over-refined extreme of saptabhangi, as in the orthodox Jaina syadvāda and nayavāda.23
Three-fold scheme of predication is simpler than the four-fold scheme of the sceptics and Buddhists and the corresponding sevenfold scheme of the Jainas. As a matter of fact, the fourth predication must be added afterwards to the seven-fold predication of Jainas. The Dighanakha, a follower of Nigantha Nataputta, mentions the three kinds of theories upheld by him:
(i) Sabbam me khamati (I agree with all views).
(ii) Sabbam me na khamati (I agree with no views).
(iii) Ekaccam me khamati, ekaccam me na khamati (I agree with some views and disagree with other views).24
The Buddha criticises Dighanakha's views in various ways and expresses his own views towards the problems. Dighanakha's views are similar to the predication of syadvada, and represent its first three bhangas respectively, viz. syädasti, syannāsti and syādasti-nāsti.
In the Dighanikāya, the Buddha is reported to have said that he had taught and laid down his doctrines with categorical (ekamsikā) and non-categorical (anekamsikā) assertions. The theory of four-fold Truths is an example of the former, and the theory of avyākṛtas is of the latter. Then the Buddha adopted the four-fold scheme to answer the logical questions of that time as under:
(i) Atthi (it is),
(ii) Natthi (it is not),
(iii) Atthi ca natthi ca (it is and it is not), and
(iv) Na ca atthi na ca natthi (it is neither is, nor is not).
Miyamoto observes that the seven-fold scheme of the Jainas is equivalent to the four-fold scheme of Buddhists in the following manner: the first three predications of the Buddha are equivalent to the first three bhangas of Jainas and the fourth predication of the
23. History and Doctrines of the Ajvikas, p. 275; Nandi. Comm. fol. 113. 24. Majjhima Nikaya, i. 498 ff.
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