Sambodhi 2013 Vol 36

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 41

Vol. XXXVI, 2013
Issues of Philosophy of Language in Jaina Philosophy
33
. Jaina darśana deliberates issues like origin of language, nature and structure, semantic theory, relation between word-meaning, meaning as universal vs. particular or sāmānva vs. višesa, limitation of meaning, relation between language and truth, types of sentences with the foreground theory of saptabhanginaya. Saptabhanginaya is the theory of anekāntavāda, accordingly, each vastu has so many dharmas, which can be percept relatively. Thus, dharma is truth with relation to. The school embraces all mutually contrastive aspects of language, relating to other Indian schools, Jaina school stands for the atomic language i.e. pudgala, generated by physical endeavor. In the terminology of Vyākarana darśana, it goes with the level of vaikharī only. It does not recognize the subtle level of language. However, the relationship between thought and language is discussed but that thought i.e. mati jñāna? cannot be compared with the madhyamā level of Saiva and Vyākarana.
Primarily, śabda is pudgala. Associating with the consciousness, pudgala takes the form of dhvani and becomes language. Thus, language is the combination of consciousness and pudgala, where pudgala is the governing element. Giving importance to the scripts, Jaina philosophy includes the category of written form also in sabda, but at the secondary level. The sabda can be presented into two forms
1. Verbal form- through the hearing organs. 2. Written form- through the sense organs of eyes.
Along with, language can be read through the organs of touch, like brail script helps to read. In this way, the all-inclusive language incorporates all forms of language either the most subtle unit of language as pudgala or speaking language or the script which are excluding part from both of them. Language is not the constructive element for the Jaina philosophers. It is just a unit which is used for imparting and communicating. Language, including word and meaning, can be known by three ways:
1. Sparíendriya 2. Caksu indriya 3. Karņendriya.
Besides, these, mana/buddhi is inevitable element with these sense organs.
The verification of every theory of this philosophy is done on the basis