New Dimensions in Jaina Logic

Author(s): Mahaprajna Acharya, Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Today and Tommorrow Printers and Publishers

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Jaina Logic of Philosophical Period
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defence as well as the refutation of the opposite theories.
There was a strong scriptural tradition behind the Jaina thinkers, which propounded many a doctrine, concerned with super-sensible objects which were not amenable to rational understanding. Under the circumstance, definition of the scope of logic for the interpretation of scriptural knowledge was a desideratum which was eminently fulfilled by Acārya Siddhasena. In his Sanmati, he drew a sharp line of demarcation between scripture and logic, assigning complete freedom to both in their respective spheres. A person who adduces Āgamas for the understanding of the topics of Agama and logic for the topics of logic, makes a right approach to the subject. But absolutely wrong is the attitude of the person who attemps at supporting the scripture by logic and logic by scripture. In the Agamic texts the words of the omniscient are compiled and they are mainly concerned with super-sensory objects. They are beyond the sphere of logic and reasoning and as such the application of probanses are not in demand in them. The sensible objects can be understood through reasoning and, therefore, such objects are to be proved through logic. The employment of scriptural knowledge for the proof of such objects, is not necessary.
Objects unamenable to Logic
The disembodied soul is a super-sensible object. Logic is of no avail for its proof. Intellect cannot comprehend it.10 The sons of Bhrgu told their father that the soul, being immaterial, cannot be known through the senses." The plants respire and they are possessed of all the instincts--hunger, fear, sex, possessiveness, anger, pride, deceit, greed etc. They are subject to pleasure and pain. The earth-bodied souls suffer from infatuation. All these are super-sensible objects. They are not amenable to reasoning. The immaterial objects, the subtle material objects and the minute modes are all in need of the testimony of scripture for their proof. The super-sensible objects are established by the authority of the scripture.
Objects amenable to Logic
The embodied soul can be established through logic. That which is capable of being produced by a like cause and also capable of producing a like effect is called the soul. An object bereft of such capability cannot be called a soul. That which has respiratory throbbing is a soul. The soulhood of the embodied self can be proved by logic. Logic, therefore, is needed for the proof of such