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Concept of Śünya (Zero) in Jaina Canons :
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can learn about the totality of the entity when one studies it on holistic basis. However, this is not possible for a common man. He can have only aspect wise studies for which the Jainas are noted. The approach of aspect wise studies is called "Standpointism" or "Nayavāda" (Carrier towards knowledge and meaning). There are quite a good number of standpoints- seven main and forty-seven in total. In fact, there may be as many standpoints as there could be statements. There is a 11 Śūnya-naya" and "A-Śūnya naya". The Sunya-naya means a standpoint of solitariness where an object is defined in terms of its solitary or unitary character. For example, the true soul is Śūnya or solitary in the world. The meaning of A- Śūnya will, therefore, mean the opposite in character; i. e. the world is full of living beings. 2.3 Philosophy: Śūnyavāda (Zeroism) 1o: The term " Śūnya" is also associated with the Buddhist philosophical system, which propounds the non-existence of living and non-living entities in reality-even the knower and the knowable. They have only relative existence. Here, the term Sunya means emptiness or relative non-existence. The theory has been criticised by the realist and pluralist Jainas in their primary and logical texts. According to this theory, one cannot determine the truth or falsity of any entity. This may refer to the third predicate of Jainas relativism (Syādvāda) in terms of "it is in some respects" and "it is not in some respects "Hence, here the term Sunya does not mean total negation but relative negation. That is why; Buddha called many issues as useless for the welfare of human kind. The concept of "Absence" (Abhāva) as an instrument of cognition of NyāyaVaiseṣika school is also a partial approach towards zeroism.
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2.4 Spiritualism: Theory of Meditation: Śūnya Dhyāna "1: All important world religious systems have postulated meditation as one of the means of spiritual development or self-realisation and infinite bliss. It has many forms involving concentration of mind in many stages. The Jainas point out four types of meditation - two worldly and two spiritualism-based. The last stage of meditation is called "white or "pure" meditation where a person meditates nondistinctively on the knower and the known. He realises every thing as one unit. He becomes holist. This is known as Šūnya-dhyāna" or
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