________________
60
TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
classed as pramāņa. The indication in question made through the doctrine of naya is a speciality of Jaina philosophy.
A General Definition :
Whatever be the subject-matter a view which offers a relatively true account of it is naya.
In brief the nayas are divided into two types—viz. dravyārthika and paryāyārthika.
The so many things of the world, big and small, are neither absolutely similar to one another nor absolutely dissimilar. Thus they all contain in their make-up both an aspect of similarity and one of dissimilarity. This exactly is why it can be said that all things whatsoever are of the form of both something generic and something specific. And man's intellect inclines sometimes towards the generic aspect of things, sometimes towards their specific aspect. When it grasps the generic aspect its view is called dravyārthika naya, when it grasps the specific aspect the same is called paryāyārthika naya. However, not all the views pertaining to the generic nor all of them pertaining to the specific are of an identical nature; each group has got internal differences. To make this out the two viewpoints are briefly subdivided once more. Thus there are three divisions of the dravyārthika and four of the paryāyārthika—that is to say, seven divisions in all; and these very are the seven nayas. Of course, it is not the case that the dravyārthika view takes no account whatsoever of paryāya or the specific aspect or that the paryāyārthika view takes no account whatsoever of dravya or the generic aspect. For the division of view-points is to be understood on the basis of a consideration of the chief and the subordinate.
Question : Please explain both the above mentioned nayas with the help of convenient illustrations.
Answer : When at any time, at any place or under any condition eye is fixed on the ocean and what is attended to are not the specific features of water like its colour, taste, depth or shallowness, extent and limits but only water as such, then we
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
