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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
predication, the affirmation of existence and the predication of negation are well defined and certain from specific points-of-view. The condition of these determinations makes doubt impossible. Prof. Phanibhusana Adhikari has stated that there is no theory which has been as such misunderstood as the Jaina theory of Syādvāda. It is possible that Sankarācārya did not go through the texts of the Jainas in their original form.
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All It is evident that Syadavāda is not the theroy of doubt. philosophies accept and utilise it in one way or other; but they hesitate to accept it by name.
The western thinker, Thomas says that Syadvāda theory has great depth and needs a keen intellect to understand. It gives a comprehensive picture of the varied aspects of reality. Syadvāda presents a picture of reality in its many-coloured aspects. The Jaina theory of Syadvāda is free from obscurations and inaccuracies of presentations. In philosophical world Syadvada is like an emperor.
Once Bhagavana Mahavira was asked what form of language the sadhu should use. Mahāvīra replied that the sadhu (ascetic) should use the language of Vibhajyavāda. Vibhajyavāda is interpreted as syādvāda.
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REFUTATION OF CONTRADICTIONS
Śankarācārya has criticised the saptabhangi on the grounds of the impossiblity of contradictory attributes co-existing in the same thing. For instance, a thing cannot have the attributes of coldness and hotness at the same time. But to one who has understood the theory of Syādvāda in its proper perspective of dialectical predication the charge of contradiction does not stand. If Śankarācārya were asked who he was, he would have replied that he was a sahnyāsī. If he were again to be asked, if he was a "gṛhastha" (a housedolder), he would hove said that he was not. Therefore, there would be no contradiction if it were to be predicated that as a sannyāsī Śańkarācārya gives affirmative predications of his nature as a sannyāsī he would negate the characteristics of a gṛhastha of his nature. These two opposite predications are consistent in their contexts and from their points-ofview. Thus we find syādvāda presents the many-folded predication from the different points of-view in different contexts. It does
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