Studies in Jainism

Author(s): Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta

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STUDIES IN JAINISM
reality, while maintaining its identical nature, expresses itself through multiple forms, it is anaikäntätmaka. A true apprehension of its nature must recognize this aspect of reality and hence should reject any type of absolute predication. It is because of this that Jaina darsana is called Anekāntavāda, as opposed to other darsanas which are Ekantavāda. Since absolute predication is impossible, Jaina logic recognized only relative predication. Thus the term 'syat', which literally means 'perhaps', is prefixed to the predication, and it implies 'from one point of view'. It is added on to the seven modes of predication referred to in the doctrine of saptabhangī, viz. syādasti, syānnāsti, and so on. This doctrine is therefore called by the names Saptabhangi and Syādvāda.
III. JAINA ETHICS
The most important teaching of Jainism is Mokṣamärga (path to salvation). Samyak darsana (right faith), samyak jñāna (right knowledge), and samyak caritra (right conduct), known as ratnatraya (the three jewels), together constitute the path to salvation.3 They are wholly different from the Bhakti-mārga of the Bhāgavatas, Jñāna-märga of the Vedantins, and Karma-marga of the Mimaṁsakas. Unlike these religious schools, which lay all the emphasis either on bhakti, or jñāna, or karma, as means of salvation, Jainism holds that all the three must co-exist in a person, if he is to walk along the path of salvation. The Jaina commentators make the meaning quite clear by bringing in the analogy of medicine as a curative of some malady. Faith in its efficacy, knowledge of its use, and actual taking of the medicine--all these three must be present if a cure is to be effected. In the same way, the universal malady of sāmsāric misery, which every soul is suffering from, can be cured by this triple panacea, the ratnatraya, when accepted as a mixture of the three principles of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct. If any one element is miss
3.
Samyag-darsana-jñāna-cāritrāṇi mokṣa-mārgāḥ (Tattvārthadhigama-Sutra of Umasvamin. The Central Jaina Publishing House, Arrah).