Nyayavatara and Nayakarnika

Author(s): Siddhasena Divakar, Vinayvijay, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Jain Sahitya Vikas Mandal

Page 304

PREFACE
The Naya-vāda, or philosophy of standpoints, is a unique feature of Jaina metaphysics, and has been fully dealt with by some of the great Ācāryas of the past. The text of the present work—the Naya-karņikā is by Srī Vinaya Vijaya Upādhyāya, a famous logician of the 17th century A.D., and has been selected for translation on account of its general freedom from tiresome technicalities as well as for its brevity.
The Naya-vāda, it is to be observed, is and essential department of knowledge by itself, and bears the same relation to philosophy as logic does to thought, or grammar to language, or speech. I have ventured on a general outline of the subject in the introduction for the benefit of the non-Jaina readers, though the observations of one so little acquainted, like myself, with the basic principles of the rules of Thought, laid down by the Giant-Philosophers of the Naya-vāda, are hardly likely to throw much light on the subject.
I avail myself of the present opportunity to acknowledge my indebtedness to the authors of the different works, such as The First Principles of Jaina Philosophy, The History of The Medieval School of Indian Logic, An Introduction to Jainism, etc., which I have consulted for the purposes of translation. I have also derived useful help from The Speeches and Writings of Mr. V. R. GANDHI, who attended