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THE JAINA CONCEPT OF LOGIC
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as both unitary and primary, and symbolizes it by the neutral symbol 'O', the other two unitary and primary predicates being affirmation and negation, denoted by him by '+' and '-' signs. In his opinion, the internal structure of avaktavyam, essentially, is that of incompatible predicates applied to something in the same respect simultaneously. The argument is self-descrepent. It takes avaktavyam, on the one hand, to be used for affirming of something a set of predicates which are incompatible in appearance only and, on the other hand, it treats the internal structure of avaktavyam essentially as that of an inconsistent predication.
The second argument is more devastating to the Jaina position which Matilal is so keen to defend. The argument is this: If according to the Jaina philosopher reality is possessed of an infinite number of attributes or properties anantadharmatmakam vastu,44 then it follows that any two incompatible predicates can also be truly affirmed of it. Aware as he is of the disquieting logical implications of affirming truly two incompatible predicates of one and the same thing in the same respect simultaneously, he adds that 'in such predication the purpose of description might fail, but the purpose of stating a truth will not fail45. The last remark suggests that a syat-sentence frustrates the purpose of description by failing to describe any state of affairs. This happens because the internal structure of avaktavyam, essentially, is that of an inconsistent predication. If this is so, then how can a syat-sentence possibly serve the purposes of stating a truih? It just cannot do it.
NOTES
1.
* "Yasovijaya Gani's Jaina Tarka Bhāṣā. Delhi, 1977 paras 61 & 62: p. 91 Agame saptabhangi.
2. Ibid, p. 19. Yatra tu ghato'sti ityādi lokavākye saptabhangisaṁsparśasunyata taträrthaprapa katv amātreṇa lokā pākṣayā prāmānyepi tattvato na prāmānyamiti draṣṭavyam.
3. Ibid, p. 24-25 Nayābhāseṣu ajainamatānāmantarbhavaḥ. The Sanskrit word "naya" comes from ni dhātu (root) which means, to lead'. Vidybhusana renders it in English as a 'method of description'. I think, this is the best translation consistent with the philosophical usage of the word in the Jaina traditions.
4. Amrtacandra Suri's Tatvarthasāta, Varanasi, 1970 SI. 14, p. 5.
