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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
Seven Classes of Nayas
Jaina philosophers have given broad classifications of different aspects ( Nayas ) through which we can perceive a thing. They are : 1. Naigama Naya (Generic and Specific view or teleological view), 2. Sangraha Naya ( class-view ), 3. Vyavahara Naya ( Empirical view ), 4 Rjusūtra Naya ( Momentary view), 5. Sabda Naya ( Verbalistic view ), 6. Samabhirūdha Naya ( Etymological view ) and 7. Evambhūta Naya ( Specialised view). There are hundreds of sub-classifications of these seven Nayas but without touching them we shall presently discuss the bare outlines of these seven Nayas. But before doing so, it may be noted that first three Nayas are with reference to the identification of the main substance called 'Dravya' and hence are known as 'Dravyarthika Nayas' while the rest four refer to the standpoints which identify the modes of the main substance and hence are known as 'Paryayārthika Nayas'. We take up first ‘Dravyarthika Nayas'.
(i) Naigama Naya : Etymological meaning of the word "Naigam' is the 'end product' or 'result'. 'Tattvartha-sära' gives an illustration of a person who carries water, rice and fuel and who, when asked what he was doing, says he is cooking. This reply is given in view of the result which he intends to achieve though at the exact time when the question is put to him he is not actually cooking. His reply is not ir.correct from the point of view of Naigama Naya, though technically it is not exactly correct, because he is not actually cooking at the time when he replies. The general purpose, for which we work controls the total series of our activities. If some one passes his judgement on basis of that general purpose, he asserts Naigama Naya, i. e., the teleological view.point.
Another sense in which this Naya is used is generic-cumspecific. A thing has both generic and specific qualities but when we ccmprehend that thing without making distinction between these two is called as Naigama view point. Shri S. N. Dasgupta explains this as under:
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