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A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
way, the knowledge of the full nature of the object is possible without much difficulty. From the point of view of the concept of non-difference (abhedarüpa) the three predications comprehend the nature of the object in a fuller way (sakalādesi), while the other four predications comprehend the nature of the objects in partial aspects. Therefore they are vikalādesī.
Some other philosophers do not give prominence to this way of thinking regarding the comprehensive or the partial understanding of the nature of an object. Understanding of the nature of an object can be covered from the affirmative side by emphasising the positive aspects of the object; and by negating the contrary or the negative aspects of the object, we can very well get a fuller comprehension. Therefore, all the seven predications of the saptabhangi can be considered as presenting fuller comprehension (sakalādesi) or partial comprehension (vikalādesī) according to the nature and the emphasis of the predications.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF SAPTABHANGT
The Indian philosophers in the past, have presented four-fold aspects of the predications for comprehending an object. The four-fold predications are (1) sat (affirmation), (2) asat (negation) and (3)ubhaya (affirmation and negation), (4) anubhaya (neither affirmation nor negation). In the 'Nāsadīya sūkta' of the Rgveda, two contradictory hypotheses of expression as affirmation and negation have been presented? It seems that before the seer of this sūkta, there were two opinions regarding the creation of the universe. Some suggested that the primary cause of the universe is being, while others said it is nonbeing. The seers then presented the third view i. e.--it is neither being nor non-being, but it is both neither being nor non-being (anubhaya). In this way, the three forms of expression of being, non-being and neither being nor non-being were expressed in the Rigveda. Similar view is also to be found in the Upanişads, and there is the possibility of the
1 Rigveda 1, 164, 46 2. Rigveda 10, 129
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