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344
Řeals in the faina Metaphysics existent, as a thing of our experience is,-is Anirvāçya i.e. indeterminable and as such, Mithyā or unreal.
JAINA EXAMINATION OF THE ABOVE POSITIONS
The Jaina's would appeal to experience and tell the Mādhyamika's and the Vedāntin's: Why go astray from our guide, the experience? Experience presents a thing as a many-sided reality; it does not show that any one aspect of a thing is its unalterable and eternal aspect; a thing has various aspects and our experience presents it as such. Why not take the thing as it is presented in experience? Why call it Sūņya or Mithyā, because it is found to have varied, nay, apparently contradictory aspects?
The Jaina's of course do admit that the nature of a thing is in some respects inexpressible because such contradictory aspects as existence and non-existence are found in it. They would, however, point out that this would not justify the theories of the Mādhyamika's or the Vedāntists. For, a thing is not existent in those very respects in which it is non-existent. A jar is not said to exist as a jar as well as a cloth. Therefore, there is no real contradiction in the nature of reality, as presented by the Syādvāda.
ILLUSTRATION OF THE SYĀDVĀDA
The seven predications of the Syādyāda do not thus contradict one another. The question, however, may be asked: Are all of them necessary? The Jaina's contend that each of the predications points to a new aspect and as such, all the seven predications are necessary in order to have a comprehensive grasp of the nature of the thing under consideration. An example would show this better. And here we choose to deviate from the beaten track deliberately and leaving aside the textual illustrations of jar and existence or soul and existence have recourse to an example which, we hope, would clarify the position.
The omniscient Arhat is the Deliverer, according to the Jaina's. Let us take the Arhat as the subject of predication and deliverership as his attribute. Applying the attribute
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