Jainism – What is Reality?
It is real as well as unreal and
- It is universal as well as particular.
- It is permanent as well as momentary.
- It is one as well as many.
Reality has infinite aspects which are all relative and Reality has infinite aspects which are all relative and we can know only some of these aspects all our judgements
Syadvada or Sapta Bhangi Naya is the
theory of relativity of knowledge. It means dialectic of the seven steps or the
theory of seven fold judgement. The word Syad, literally means probable,
perhaps may be and sayadvada is sometimes translated as the theory of probability
or the doctrine of may be. But it is not in the literal sense of probability
that the word syad is used here. Probability, suggests scepticism and Jainism
is not scepticism sometimes the word syad is translated as somehow but this too
smacks of agnosticism and Jainism is not agnosticism. The word syad is used
here in the sense of the relative and the correct translation of syadvada is
the theory of relativity of knowledge. Reality has infinite aspects which are
all relative and we can knowledge. Reality has infinite aspects which are all
relative and we can know only some of these aspects all our judgements and
therefore are necessarily relative, conditional and limited. Relatively speaking or viewed from a
particular view from a particular view point which is necessarily related to
other viewpoints must precede all over judgements. Absolute affirmation and
absolute negation both are wrong. All judgements are conditional. This is not a self contradictory position
because the very nature of reality of reality is indeterminate and infinitely
complex and because affirmation and negation both are not mould from the same
standpoint. The difficultly of predication is solved by maintaining that the
subject and the predicate are identical from the point of view of substance and
different from the point of view of modes. Hence categorical or absolute
predication is ruled out as erroneous. All judgements are double edged.
Affirmation presupposes negation as much as negation pre supposes affirmation. The
infinitely complex reality admits of all opposites predicated from different
stand points.
-
It is real as well
as unreal and
-
It is universal as
well as particular.
-
It is permanent as
well as momentary.
-
It is one as well
as many.
It is view from the point of view of substance – it
is real, universal, permanent and one.
Viewed from the point of modes- it is unreal,
particular, momentary and many.
Almost apply philosophical ideological and
religious differences and disputes are mainly because to mistaking a partial
truth for the whole truth. Our judgments represent different aspects of the
many sides reality and can claim only partial truth. This view makes Jainism
catholic broad It really respect for others point of view.
Now we can know an object in three ways through—mistaking
partial truth for the whole and the absolute truth or bad judgement for example
the insistence that an object is absolutely real.
-
A mere statement
of a relative truth without calling it either absolute or relative is called
judgment for example the statement that an object is real.
-
A statement of a
partial truth, knowing that it is only partial, relative and conditional and
have possibility of being differently interpreted from different points of view
is called valid judgment.
Every Naya or judgment in order to become
permanence must be qualified Syat that is relative to be the symbol of truth.
It is relative and successive knowledge. It removes all contradictions among
different points of view. To reject syad is to embrace unwarranted absolutism
which is directly contradicted by experience.
Everything exist from the point of view of its own
substance, specs, time and form and it does not exist from the point of view of
others’ substance, space, time and form.
Jainism’s logic distinguishes seven forms of
judgments
-
Relatively a thing
is real
-
Relatively a thing is unreal
-
Relatively a thing
is both real and unreal
-
Relatively a thing
is indescribable
-
Relatively a thing
is real and is indescribable
-
Relatively a thing
is unreal and is indescribable
-
Relatively a thing
is real, unreal and indescribable
From the point of view of one’s own substance everything is while from the point of view of others substance, everything is not, assume have just remarked that we can know a thing in relation to its own matter, form, space and time and it becomes a negative entity. When we affirm the different stand points successively we het the third judgement-a thing is both incapable of being describe and complex, real and unreal. If we affirm or deny both existence and non existence simultaneously to anything and if we assert or negate the two different aspects of being and non being together the thing baffles and description it becomes indescribable. That means either both real and unreal simultaneously or neither real nor unreal thus is the fourth judgment the remaining theories are controversial of the fourth judgment with the first second and third respectively.
Comments
Post a Comment