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स्मृतियों के वातायन से
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SYADVADA AND STATISTICS
Dr. R. C. Jain Summary :
Syadvada helps in knowing the manifold qualities of any object. The seven divisions of Syadvada give the complete knowledge about any object with respect to substance, space, time and attribute. The qualitative measure of the independent division "Syadavaktavya" can represent the probability of Statistics, and the seventh division of syadavada represents the range of probability under certain conditions.
1. Brief History and Introductions :
Non-violence and anekanta are the two fundamental principles of Jain philosophy given by Lord Mahaveer (599-527 B.C.), Under Anekantvada we have an important terminology "Syadvada" which means assertion with respect to a definite possibility. The first written description of Syadvada and its seven divisions were given by Acharya Kundkund (First Century A.D.) in his famous work "Pravachanasara": Acharya Samantbhadra (Second Centuary A.D.) also gave the description of Syadvada in his famous work "Aptameemansa". Many other Jain writers like Siddhasena Divakara, Mallisena and Pandit Vimaldas have given a good description of Syadvada and its seven divisions. Mahalanobis (1957) has also given a good account of syadvada with respect to substance, space, time and attribute. He has shown that Syadavaktavya is the probability in qualitative sense. Haldane (1957) considered the fourth division of Syadvada as an inexpressible quantity and illustrated through algebraic examples. Mardia (1975) has also discussed the same aspect and shown that they are close to the concepts of statistics. Kothari (1980) used the Syadvada mode for the illustration of the principle of quantum mechanics in Physics. In the present investigation, it is shown that "Syadavaktavya" is probability with respect to substance and attribute only. The seventh division represents the range of probability provided that Avaktavya can be represented in the quantitative form and the quantity lying between zero and unity.
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