Book Title: Outlines of Jaina Philosophy
Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: Jain Mission Society Bangalore

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Page 143
________________ RELATIVITY OF JUDGMENT 119 In these propositions, the word 'relatively' is most significant. Every judgment bears the stamp of relativity, by which the notion of absolutism is refuted. All our judgments are relative, i.e., non-absolutistic. The proposition relatively the pot does exist'shows that from a particular point of view, the pot does exist. This particular point of view is determined by four factors. These factors are the substance, place, time, and mode as related to the pot. The explanation of these determining factors is as follows: (a) The substance of the pot is the clay of which it is made. Viewed from the point of view of this particular substance, the pot does exist. (6) The place of the pot points to the locality where it is lying. As viewed from the point of view of a particular room, the pot does exist. (c) The time of the existence of the pot is the present time in which it exists. As viewed from the point of view of eight o'clock, the pot does exist. (d) The mode of the pot points to the form or shape. Viewed from the point of view of a particular form such as its contracted neck, the pot does exist. To be more clear, the proposition 'relatively the pot does exist' means that the pot does exist as far as its own individual form is concerned by reason of its substance, place, time, and mode. Its substance points to the clay of which it is made, its place is the locality in which it stands, its time is the present time in which it exists, and its mode points to its particular form such as its contracted neck. The proposition 'relatively the pot does not exist' means that the pot does not exist if looked at from the point of view of the absence of the characteristics of its substance, place, time, and mode. To elucidate, the pot does not exist with reference to another substance such as gold, etc.; with reference to another place such as some other room, etc., with reference to the time preceding its manufacture or succeeding its destruction, i.e., the past and the future times; and with reference to other modes such as a broad neck, etc. In this proposition the pot is looked at from the point of view of the absence of the four determining

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