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Jaina Theory of Multiple Facets of Reality and Truth
as arises from conflict (with perception], and in virtue of inquiry about each of the different attributes, with regard to one and the same entity like soul (jīva) etc. This is called 'saptabhangi-pramāņa'. (PNT IV 14; SBT pp.3-4) It can be illustrated as follows:
1. syād asty eva ghataḥ 2. syān nästy eva ghataḥ 3. syād asti nāsti ca ghataḥ 4. syād avaktavya eva ghataḥ 5. syād asti cāvaktavyaś ca ghataḥ 6. syān násti cāvaktavyaś ca ghataḥ 7. syâd asti nāsti cāvaktavyaś ca ghataḥ
As the Jaina metaphysics accepts that infinite attributes abide in a single entity, so does its epistemology, as a natural process, that infinite natures can be predicated of a single judgment, whose substantive pertaining to one particular entity. However, when one nature is predicated of a single entity, the expression of that nature is neither unconditional nor unlimited, but is composed of seven kinds of formula, taking into accountevery possible case. For instance,'existence' predicated of one single entity is possible only on the presumption of another predicate 'non-existence'. Thus any predicate, being accompanied by its counterpart, is made up of a pair of natures of contradictory character, referring to the same entity. A set of seven propositions mentioned above are serving only the case of such correlative natures of 'existence' and 'non-existence', and besides, as well be mentioned later, there are number of such correlatives serving as predicate.
The first formula describes affirmation only. The second formula describes negation only. The third formula describes affirmation and negation successively.
The fourth formula describes affirmation and negation simultaneously. Since two natures cannot be uttered with equal primacy in the same breath, in regard to a single entity, the term 'avaktavya' (inexpressible) comes into being.
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