Nyayavatara and Nayakarnika

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

Page 316

Introduction
205
make himself familiar with works such as the Viseşāvasyaka, the Naya-cakra, etc., where the philosophy of Nayas is more elaborately and fully explained.
As a result of the foregoing analysis of the different kinds of standpoints, we may say that the Nayas constitute the very foundation of the science of Thought. They are not rules of logic as understood in its strict sense, but in a very much wider though simpler aspect. As Mr. A. B. LATTHE points out (see An Introduction to Jainism, p. 108):
"Logic, as applied to our present subject, is not a term denoting formal laws of thought. It constitutes the essence of Jain philosophy, without an adequate conception of whose importance, it would be impossible to realize the place of Jainism in the philosophical systems of the world, and the contribution it has made to the progress of human thought. As will be indicated further on, Anekānta Logic is the doctrine which means to examine the very foundations of knowledge, and also to explain the ontological problems that have beset philosophical speculations in all times. The value that Jainism itself attaches to this basis of its philosophy may appear extravagant to any superficial observer. It is asserted by a great Jain Acārya that this logic is as important as the Absolute Wisdom possessed by the Kevalin. It differs from the latter only in being 'indirect,' as distinguished from 'immediate' which is the characteristic of Absolute Wisdom. This loss caused by its being ‘mediate' (apratyakṣa or sruta) is fully made up by its exclusive capacity to demonstrate the truth of Absolute Wisdom to mankind. Thus Absolute Wisdom itself, not to speak of inferior degrees of knowledge, is baseless,