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Preface
from a particular point of view and presents the picture of it in relation to that view; the awareness of other aspects is in the background and not ignored.
A synthesis of different viewpoints is achieved by the doctrine of conditional predications (syādvāda) wherein every viewpoint is able to retain its relative importance. Conditional affirmative predication (vidhi) and conditional negative predication (niṣedha) together constitute valid knowledge (pramāna). The speaker at any moment considers one particular attribute, the primary attribute, but does not deny the existence of other attributes, the secondary attributes. Partial knowledge from a particular point of view, under consideration, is the object of naya and it helps in accuracy of expression through illustration (dṛṣṭānta). A naya deals only with the particular point in view of the speaker and does not deny the remaining points of view, not under consideration at that time. Pramana is the source or origin of naya. It has been said in the Scripture, "On the acquisition of knowledge of a substance derived from pramāṇa, ascertaining its one particular state or mode is naya."
A naya is neither pramāna nor apramāna (not pramāna). It is a part of pramāna. A drop of water of the ocean can neither be considered the ocean nor the non-ocean; it is a part of the ocean. Similarly, a soldier is neither an army nor a non-army; he is a part of the army. The same argument goes with naya. A naya is a partial presentation of the nature of the object while pramāņa is comprehensive in its presentation. A naya does neither give false knowledge nor deny the existence of other aspects of knowledge. There are as many naya as there are points of view.
Acarya Samantabhadra's Svayambhūstotra:
य एव नित्यक्षणिकादयो नया मिथोऽनपेक्षाः स्वपरप्रणाशिनः । त एव तत्त्वं विमलस्य ते मुनेः परस्परेक्षाः स्वपरोपकारिणः ॥
(१३-१-६१ )
O Unblemished Lord Vimalanatha! Those who hold the one
(XIX)
