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Study of Jainism
beset with contradictions. The Vedanta conception of anirvacanija, the Buddha's avyaksta and Nagarjuna's conception of the ultimate as being catuṣkotivinirmukta come under this stage. iv) The last phase in the dialectical evolution of the idea of the inexpressible is expressed in the avaktavya of the Syadvada. It is a relativistic (såpekşa) view and not the absolute view as presented in anirvacaniya. The Jaina states that sat and asat in these combinations, are inevitable and distinctive feature of our obiective experience 23 Again the avaktavya may show the inability to cmbody, within one symbol, the two fundamental aspects of reality with equal prominence. But this limitation is itself a necessary step in the dialectual movement of Syadvada.
K. C. Bhattacharya states 'If the inexpressible is objective as given, it cannot be said to be not a particular position nor to be non-existent. At the same time it is not the definite distinction of position and existence. It is a category by itself. 24
(v) The fifth predication is formulated as Syad Asti, Avaktavyaṁ. From the point of view of its own contexts - (dravya, rüpa, kala and kşetra) a thing is and is indescribable. It asserts the co-presence of the two attributes, existence and inexpressibility
(vi) Syad Nasti Avaktavyaṁ : The sixth proposition expresses the negative aspect together with inexpressibility. In a context, it is not and is indescribable. In relation to the para-dravya, pararūpa, Para-kşetra and para-kala it is not yet, it is indescribable.
(vii) Syad Asti Nasti Avaktayyan : is the seventh predication. It asserts existence, non-existence and inexpressibility. This predication gives a fuller and a more comprehensive picture of the thing than the earlier ones. The predicated attribute is a synthesis of the three attributes ; still, it is not a mere summation of the attributes. It brings out the inexpressibility of a thing as well as what it is and what it is not.25
III. The theory of seven fold predication has been subjected to severe criticism from different quarters. From Sankara, Ramanuja to modern thinkers like Belvalkar, Syadvada has been
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