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JAINA THEORY OF NAYA AND LAKSANĀ -
A COMPARATIVE STUDY
DINANATH SHARMA
Jainas admit two kinds of valid knowledge, viz. Pramāna, i e. an all sided or comprehensive knowledge and Naya, i e. a one sided or partial knowledge. Pramāṇa is otherwise known as the right knowledge of the nature of a thing which removes doubt, illusion and ignorance from it. Having known the things rightly, man decides to obtain them if so is required and abandon them in case they are undesirable.
A Naya is defined as a particular standpoint that does not negate other viewpoints and is hereby expressive of a partial truth about an object. Since the intentions of speakers and modes of verbal expression are countless, Nayas also are countless for Nayas are in no way different from them. But it can be divided only into two from substantial and modal standpoints. They are respectively called Dravyārthika and Paryāyārthika Naya. Dravyārthika Naya means the standpoint which concentrates on a substance, i e. the generic and permanent aspect. The Paryāyārthika Naya means the viewpoint that concentrates on modes, i. e. the changes or transformations. There is neither substance without mode nor mode without substance, though both are different from each other.
For detailed treatment of the doctrine of Naya, there has been expounded seven types of Nayas. They are - naigama, sangraha, vyavahāra, rjusūtra, sabda, samabhirūdha and evambhūta.
Naigama Naya deals with imagination (kalpanā). All our communications that are governed by it are called naigama. It has three main kinds, viz. sankalpa naigama, amśa naigama and aropa naigama.
Sankalpa naigama concentrates on the purpose. For instance, a person is putting his clothes into his bag and someone asks him as to what is he doing ? He says that he is going to Mumbai. Actually he is preparing for Mumbai not going
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