Nyayavatara

Author(s): Satish Chandra Vidyabhushan
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 37

NYAYAVATARA.
29
the scriptural method, of one-sided nayas, is called Syâdvâdu-sruta.
The śruta or scriptural knowledge is of three kinds, viz. : (1) false hearing or knowledge (mithya-śruta), such as that derived from the scripture of the bad Tirthikas; (2) hearing of the one-sided method (naya-śruta), that is, the knowledge derived from that part of the Jaina scripture which teaches us to comprehend things from any particular standpoint; and (3) hearing of the all-sided method (syad-vada-śrutu), that is, the knowledge derived from that part of the Jaina scripture which teaches us to comprehend things from all-sided standpoints. The naya-śruta (knowledge of the one-sided method) has been described in the previous verse. The syad-váda (knowledge of the all-sided method) is described below:
Syad-vada, which literally signifies assertion of possibilities, seeks to ascertain the meaning of things from all possible standpoints. Things are neither existent nor non-existent absolutely. A thing may be said to exist in a certain way and to be non-existent in another way, and so forth. Syád-váda examines things from seven points of view, hence the doctrine is also called supta-bhangî-naya (seven-fold paralogism). It is stated as follows: (1) May be, it is (syâdusti); (2) may be, it is, not (syad-nasti); (3) may be, it is, and it is not (syäd-asti-násti); (4) may be, it is indescribable (syid-avyaktavyam); (5) may be, it is and yet indescribable (syad-asti ca avaktavyañca); (6) may be, it is not, and also indescribable (syad násti ca avaktavyañca); (7) may be, it is, and it is not, and also indescribable (syad asti ca asti ca avaktavyañcu).
When a thing is to be established, we say "it is," when it is to be denied, we say "it is not.' When a thing is to be established and denied in turn, we say "it is and it is not." When a thing is to be established and denied simultaneously, we say, "it is indescribable." When a thing is to be established and yet described as indescribable, we say "it is, and yet indescribable." When a thing is to be denied and also