Sambodhi 2013 Vol 36

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

Page 42

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Shruti Rai & Surjya Kamal Borah
SAMBODHI
of the principle of syādvāda. Its great impact goes to the eternality of language also. Prajnapanā sūtra points out towards the origin of language. Accordingly, the origin of language is parallel to the origin of sentient being. The exact point of time of origination of language cannot be traced like the origin of human being cannot be delineated. Language is eternal but its eternality exists in the sense of pariņāmī nitayatā. Pariņāmī nityatā establishes language as beginningless and eternal. On the other side, its commencement can be traced at particular time by the birth of an individual. At the same time, it is anādi also on the basis of bhāsā paramparā or bhāsāpravāha. Language is not eternal, because it is originated in the form of pudgala. Prajñāpanāsūtra accepts the origin of language by physical endeavour. Both the contrasting aspects i.e. noneternality and eternality and eternality of language come under the relative terms sādi śruta and anādi śruta. The philosophy marks the wider range of the gross language as it includes every type of sounds under the different class of languages. It incorporates vague sound of animals and different types of noises which is generated through the contact of things. There are two types of sound which are included into language
1. Aksarātmaka 2. Ankṣarātmaka.
Aksarātmaka means the language which is uttered by the organs of speech. There are other two sub divisions of this category i.e. śravya and drśya. Almost all languages of the world come under this category. Aksara śruta, lipi jñāna and saṁketa are classified into this section. The language is used for the communication and imparting knowledge.
Aksarātmaka-excluding speech-sounds, remaining sounds i.e. conglomeration of sounds are Aksarātmaka, like, animal's language, child's language, and language of dumb. It includes the sign and symbols which is indicated by the physical endeavor and others. Tirthankar's language is also named Anksarātmaka language, probably this would be the reason that such types of sounds are including in this class. Višesāsvaśyakabhāsya says that sneezing, clipping, deep exhaling, crying silently come under the anksarātmakabhāṣā. In this case, knowledge is not imparted to other, only a speaker knows it but does not express it before anyone. These categories come under the śruta jñāna, when on the basis of one knowledge (indriyabodha), another knowledge (artha-bodha) comes into the light is called śruta jñāna. The śruta jñāna has two divisions, one is aksara sutra and the other is anksara śruta. Śruta jñāna (indriya bodha) is the cause of artha bodha.5