and this justifies us in saying that “may be
that in some sense the jug is,” and “may
be in some sense that the jug is not.” Combining
these two aspects we may say that in some sense “may
be that the jug is,” and in some sense “may
be that the jug is not.” We understood
here that if we put emphasis on the side of the characteristics
constituting being, we may say “the jug is,”
but if we put emphasis on the other side, we may as
well say “the jug is not.” Both the
affirmations hold good of the jug according as the
emphasis is put on either side. But if without
emphasis on either side we try to comprehend the two
opposite and contradictory judgments regarding the
jug, we see that the nature of the jug or of the existence
of the jug is indefinite, unspeakable and inconceivable—
avaktavya,
for how can we affirm both being and non-being of
the same thing, and yet such is the nature of things
that we cannot but do it. Thus all affirmations
are true, are not true, are both true and untrue, and
are thus unspeakable, inconceivable, and indefinite.
Combining these four again we derive another three,
(1) that in some sense it may be that the jug is,
and (2) is yet unspeakable, or (3) that the jug is
not and is unspeakable, or finally that the jug is,
is not, and is unspeakable. Thus the Jains hold
that no affirmation, or judgment, is absolute in its
nature, each is true in its own limited sense only,
and for each one of them any of the above seven alternatives
(technically called
saptabha@ngi holds good
[Footnote ref 1]. The Jains say that other Indian
systems each from its own point of view asserts itself
to be the absolute and the only
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[Footnote 1: See Syadvadamanjari, with
Hemacandra’s commentary, pp. 166, etc.]
181
point of view. They do not perceive that the
nature of reality is such that the truth of any assertion
is merely conditional, and holds good only in certain
conditions, circumstances, or senses (upadhi).
It is thus impossible to make any affirmation which
is universally and absolutely valid. For a contrary
or contradictory affirmation will always be found
to hold good of any judgment in some sense or other.
As all reality is partly permanent and partly exposed
to change of the form of losing and gaining old and
new qualities, and is thus relatively permanent and
changeful, so all our affirmations regarding truth
are also only relatively valid and invalid. Being,
non-being and indefinite, the three categories of
logic, are all equally available in some sense or
other in all their permutations for any and every kind
of judgment. There is no universal and absolute
position or negation, and all judgments are valid
only conditionally. The relation of the naya
doctrine with the syadvada doctrine is therefore this,
that for any judgment according to any and every naya
there are as many alternatives as are indicated by