Some Aspects of Indian Culture

Author(s): A S Gopani, Nagin J Shah, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 56

Characteristics of Jainism
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Syādvada therefore is a distinctly original contribution of the Jainas to the Indian Logic. Every religion in India has to make room, and to provide at the same time, for perfect knowledge if it wants to live perennially. It has also been the common duty of such a living religion to teach the suffering humanity to go beyond the phenomenon, the mere form, and not to seek solace there. Jidism is by no means an exception to this rule but the method formulated and employed is no less original than different. For the acquisition, then, of such a perfect knowledge, or better say, for one's own realization, it has devised and developei a philosophy of its own which goes under the popular name of Anekāntavāda which is a peculiar feature of the Jaina Logic. "It is obvious that regarding a given Padārtha we can make from a divergent point of view, different and yet contradictory statements." A single statement can never put you in the knowledge of a thing in its entirety. Moreover a thing can also be viewed from ihe standpoints of matter, space, time and mode. In short, a thing cannot be comprehended at one glance or attempt as it has got numberless aspects or qualities or facts. Dr. DAS GUPTA seems to be lending support to this view when he speaks in his History of Indian Philosophy: "Since the most contrary characteristics of infinite variety may be associated with a thing, affirmation made from whatever standpoint cannot be regarded as absolute "1In other words Syadvāda is a synthetic presentation of innumerable viewpoints. In his Religion of India, HOPKINS writes about Syadvāda in the following terms: "In contrast to the Nihilistic Buddhist, the Jaina assumes a doubtful attitude so that he is termed the may be philosopher or a Syādvādin in opposition to the Buddhist philosopber of the void.”11 Can we not say that HOPKINS misrepresents Syadvāda ? Sir RADHAKRISHNAN'S following verdict on Syādvāda can be well qouted against this partial and hence incorrect opinion of the author of Religions of India. Sir RADHAKRISHNAN observes in his Indian Philosophy: “The view is called the Syādvāda since it holds all knowledge to be only probable. Every position gives us only a perhaps, a may be or a Syāt "12
It is never possible for us to affirm or deny in absolute terms about a particular thing the very nature of which consists of endless complexity, is filmy and uncertain. Distinguished scholars have maintained an opinion that Syādvāda is the doctrine of Scepticism. 13 This is also a glaring mistake which needs be corrected by saying that it is the Science of the Assertion of alternative possibilities. 14 It is only through it that one can look at a thing with a wide and liberal view. And it is only through it that one can review a thing in all its bearings and relationships. Ever-progressing character of Reality is always elusive and therefore admits only of relative or conditional predication. The fact is this; it always and under any circumstances recognises the possibility of predication. Every proposition is true but only under certain restrictions.
I will close the discussion of this unique feature of Jaina Logic and Philosophy by saying that it smooths all the apparent differences, which supply the ground to several philosophies, without sacrificing anything of intrinsic and eternal value and