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Jaina View of Life
7. The seventh proposition asserts existence, non-existence and inexpressibility. It reads : syād asti nästi avaktavyam. In the contexts, it is, is not and is inexpressible. With reference to the sva-rūpa, sva-dravya, sva-kşetra and sya-kala it exists, and with reference to the para-dravya, para-rūpa, para-kşetra, para-kala non-existence can be predicated. Yet, in its real nature it may be such that it cannot be easily described. As Prof. Mukerji says, this predication gives a fuller and a more comprehensive picture of the thing than the earlier ones. The predicated attribute is a synthesis of the three attributes; still, it is not a mere summation of the attributes. It brings out the inexpressibility of a thing as well as what it is and what it is not.
Affirmation and negation and inexpressibility are the three fundamental predications. This implies that all negation has a positive basis. Even imaginary concepts like the sky-flower possess a positive basis in the two reals, the sky and flower, although the combination is unreal. All things which are objects of thought are in one sense, and are not in another sense.
V. The doctrine of Syādvāda has been criticised in various ways :
1. It is said that the theory of sevenfold predication can only be the cause of doubt and not of certainty, the assertion of contradictory predicates implies that the present predicating is in doubt. Belvalkar says that Syadvāda is sceptical and non-committal in its attitude. With this agnostic and negative attitude one cannot have any dogma; and Samkarācārya Jays his finger accurately on the weakest point in the system when he says-- "As thus the means of knowledge, the knowing subject, and the act of knowledge, are all alike, indefinite, how can the Tirthamkara (Jina) teach with any claim to authority and how can his followers act on a doctrine the matter of which is altogether indeterminate. Prof. Hiriyanna makes
34. “The Undercurrents of Jainisim” (an article in the Indian Philoso
paical Review, Vol. I, No. 1, 1947, edited by A. C. Widgery and R. D. Rande, Bombay), p. 33.
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