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Introduction
13
power inherent in a Word, which is otherwise called "Yogyatā”. This natural capacity inherent in a Word may be likened to the power of burning inherent in fire. The Jaina doctrine of the Svābhāvika-sāmarthya in a Word, while rejecting the Mimāṁsā theory of the Sabda being a real and eternal substance agrees with it to some extent, in as much as it maintains that in expresssing its Object, a Word is not dependent on any outside agency. At the same time, while admitting the natural capacity in a Word to express its Object, the Jainas point out that a Word inspite of this general capacity relies upon outside factors for the purpose of expressing a particular Object. Fire has a general capacity to burn; but what particular things, at what particular places, in what particular times are to be burnt, -well, these are dependent on various other circumstances besides the power of burning inherent in fire. Similarly, the Jainas maintain that every Word has the capacity to express all the Objects of the universe. But actually what particular Objects, at what particular place and in what particular time are to be signified by it, these depend on the local circumstances; these local circumstances or usages determine the local sense of a word, which is called the Samaya or Sanketa. One not knowing the local sense of a Word, its Samaya or Sanketa, would not be able to understand the Object signified by it. Thus the Jainas, while they by admitting the Svābhāvika-sāmarthya in a Word reject the theories of the Nyāya and the conventionist schools, adopt their doctrines about outside agencies, so far as it is possible, by admitting the factor of Samaya or Sanketa, in the matter of expressing its Object by a Word at a particular time, in a particular place.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE INDIAN THEORIES
Besides describing a Jaina theory as it is with respect to a particular subject-matter, it will be our business in these lectures to indicate its position among the allied theories of the other schools of Indian thought. As a matter of fact, this mode of comparative study was well recognised
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