Prashamratiprakaran

Author(s): Umaswati, Umaswami, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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make possible modification, continuity, activity (kriyā), near and far, now and then (aparatva) (Pr. 218). It is one and indivisible.
The entire universe is composed of these six substances. The conception and these classifications of substances of Jaina make it very clear that universe cannot be explained with the help of spirit alone or matter alone or both spirit and matter. The explanation of the universe demands admission of the reality of the spirit and the matter on the one hand and of several other items, including space and time and the media of motion and rest on the other.
SYADVADA-THEORY OF NON-ABSOLUTISM :
The Jaina philosophers held that everything in the world is complex in structure and as such has many aspects. A thing that is real, has three characteristics of production, destruction and permanence (Pr.204). Every object that seems to be permanent is liable to both production and destruction. Each entity is one in many. That being so, it would be. improper to view a thing in only one of its aspects and to hold, that the knowledge of that thing derived thereby is final. On the contrary, it should be viewed in its manay and various aspects in order that it may be properly apprehended. This view that every object has a multiplicity of aspects is known as Anekantavada, the doctrine of the manyness of real. The doctrine of relativity of judgement (Syādvāda) or Seven fold judgement (saptabhanginaya) is the corollary of this doctrine of relative pluralism (Anekantavada). The word 'synt' means relatively speeking and it signifies that every thing of the universe can be looked at from many point of view. Reality has infinite aspects which are all relative, conditional and we know only some of these aspects. Our judgements represent different aspects of the many-sided reality and can claim only partial truth. All our judgements, therefore, are necessarily relative, conditional and limited. 'Syat' or relatively speaking must precede all our judgements.
The Jaina logicians distinguish seven kinds of judgment. Each judgement being relative is preceded by the word 'syat'. Thus it is known as Syadvida or Saptabhanginaya (Pr. 204 commentary). These seven forms are as follows :
1. Syadasti Relatively a thing is existent.
2. Syannāsti Relatively, a thing is non-existent.
3. Syadasti-nāsti Relatively, a thing is both existent and on-existent.
4. Syadavaktavyam: Relatively, a thing is indescribable.