Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism

Author(s): S C Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 44

40 :: Structure and Functions of Soul in Jainism
elements are affirmed of a substance in the same context, contradiction is inevitable. The Jaina establishes his position consistently by assigning different contexts for their predication. Like position and negation unity and diversity are the two implicates or traits of a real, the same real is perceived as a unity and also as a diversity. As already quoted S. Mookerjee thinks: "The central thesis of the Jaina is that there is not only diversity of reals, but each real is equally diversified.”! To complete the exposition it may be supplemented by the proposition that there is not only unity of a real but all reals are equally united. “All substances are diversified with respect; to their origination, decay, persistence, attributes, modes, names, differentia and purpose, still from the view-point of existence they are not so distinguished. Reality assumes such a form by nature."2 Thus a true theory of reality must include all the elements enumerated above and their ontological validity is to be sought in the region of traits.
Jaina Theory of Reality as Illustrated by a Propositional or a Mathematical Function
As regards the nature of existence of the aforesaid elements H.H. Price has given a very suitable suggestion. He states: “In the technical symbolism of Formal Logic the most appropriate expression for referring to one of these features of the world is not a single letter such as P or R which might possibly be mistaken for the name of an entity, but a propositional function such as Px or x R y or R (x, y, z). Here, x, y, and z are variables so that the propositional function is an overtly incomplete expression, To complete it one must replace the variables by a constant, denoting some object, which satisfies the function; if there are several variables, each of these must be replaced by a constant."3 A
1. S. Mookerjee: The Jaina Philosophy of Non-absolutism, p. 68 2. Jayasena: Pravacana-sāra. (Commentary by Jayasena), p. 125 3. H.H. Price: Thinking and Experience, p. 12