What are the seven steps of syadvada
Answers
Answered by
1
Syadvada or Theory of Sevenfold Predications
From Jain Epistemology describes the saptabhanginaya "sevenfold predication".[2]
1.Syād-asti — "in some ways it is"2.Syād-nāsti — "in some ways it is not"3.Syād-asti-nāsti — "in some ways it is and it is not"4.Syād-asti-avaktavyaḥ — "in some ways it is and it is indescribable"5.Syād-nāsti-a- vaktavyaḥ — "in some ways it is not and it is indescribable"6.Syād-asti-nā- sti-avaktavyaḥ — "in some ways it is, it is not and it is indescribable"7.Syād-avaktavy- aḥ — "in some ways it is indescribable"
-----------
Syadv- ada or Sapta-bhangi Naya is the most important part of Jaina Logic. Syadvada is neither skepticism, nor agnosticism. In fact, Syadvada is the theory of the relativity of knowledge. Every object exists in relation of its form substance, scope and time and not object exists in relation to the form substance, scope and time of any other object. Therefore, the knowledge of every object is not absolute but relative.
The Jainas insist that the word syad should necessarily be used before every Naya. It denotes that the truth of that statement is confined to that particular context and it may not hold good in other context. So according to them, the use of the word syad is imperative for rendering judgment flawless and correct.
To understand Syadvad better, you can read this story:
ELEPHANT AND THE BLIND MEN
Once upon a time, there lived six blind men in a village. One day the villagers told them, "Hey, there is an elephant in the village today."
They had no idea what an elephant is. They decided, "Even though we would not be able to see it, let us go and feel it anyway." All of them went where the elephant was. Everyone of them touched the elephant.
Hey, the elephant is a pillar," said the first man who touched his leg.
"Oh, no! it is like a rope," said the second man who touched the tail.
"Oh, no! it is like a thick branch of a tree," said the third man who touched the trunk of the elephant.
"It is like a big hand fan" said the fourth man who touched the ear of the elephant.
"It is like a huge wall," said the fifth man who touched the belly of the elephant.
"It is like a solid pipe," Said the sixth man who touched the tusk of the elephant.
They began to argue about the elephant and everyone of them insisted that he was right. It looked like they were getting agitated. A wise man was passing by and he saw this. He stopped and asked them, "What is the matter?" They said, "We cannot agree to what the elephant is like." Each one of them told what he thought the elephant was like. The wise man calmly explained to them, "All of you are right. The reason every one of you is telling it differently because each one of you touched the different part of the elephant. So, actually the elephant has all those features what you all said."
"Oh!" everyone said. There was no more fight. They felt happy that they were all right.
The moral of the story is that there may be some truth to what someone says. Sometimes we can see that truth and sometimes not because they may have different perspective which we may not agree too. So, rather than arguing like the blind men, we should say, "Maybe you have your reasons." This way we don’t get in arguments. In Jainism, it is explained that truth can be stated in seven different ways. So, you can see how broad religion is. It teaches us to be tolerant towards others for their viewpoints. This allows us to live in harmony with the people of different thinking. This is known as the Syadvada, Anekantvad, or the theory of Manifold Predictions.
From Jain Epistemology describes the saptabhanginaya "sevenfold predication".[2]
1.Syād-asti — "in some ways it is"2.Syād-nāsti — "in some ways it is not"3.Syād-asti-nāsti — "in some ways it is and it is not"4.Syād-asti-avaktavyaḥ — "in some ways it is and it is indescribable"5.Syād-nāsti-a- vaktavyaḥ — "in some ways it is not and it is indescribable"6.Syād-asti-nā- sti-avaktavyaḥ — "in some ways it is, it is not and it is indescribable"7.Syād-avaktavy- aḥ — "in some ways it is indescribable"
-----------
Syadv- ada or Sapta-bhangi Naya is the most important part of Jaina Logic. Syadvada is neither skepticism, nor agnosticism. In fact, Syadvada is the theory of the relativity of knowledge. Every object exists in relation of its form substance, scope and time and not object exists in relation to the form substance, scope and time of any other object. Therefore, the knowledge of every object is not absolute but relative.
The Jainas insist that the word syad should necessarily be used before every Naya. It denotes that the truth of that statement is confined to that particular context and it may not hold good in other context. So according to them, the use of the word syad is imperative for rendering judgment flawless and correct.
To understand Syadvad better, you can read this story:
ELEPHANT AND THE BLIND MEN
Once upon a time, there lived six blind men in a village. One day the villagers told them, "Hey, there is an elephant in the village today."
They had no idea what an elephant is. They decided, "Even though we would not be able to see it, let us go and feel it anyway." All of them went where the elephant was. Everyone of them touched the elephant.
Hey, the elephant is a pillar," said the first man who touched his leg.
"Oh, no! it is like a rope," said the second man who touched the tail.
"Oh, no! it is like a thick branch of a tree," said the third man who touched the trunk of the elephant.
"It is like a big hand fan" said the fourth man who touched the ear of the elephant.
"It is like a huge wall," said the fifth man who touched the belly of the elephant.
"It is like a solid pipe," Said the sixth man who touched the tusk of the elephant.
They began to argue about the elephant and everyone of them insisted that he was right. It looked like they were getting agitated. A wise man was passing by and he saw this. He stopped and asked them, "What is the matter?" They said, "We cannot agree to what the elephant is like." Each one of them told what he thought the elephant was like. The wise man calmly explained to them, "All of you are right. The reason every one of you is telling it differently because each one of you touched the different part of the elephant. So, actually the elephant has all those features what you all said."
"Oh!" everyone said. There was no more fight. They felt happy that they were all right.
The moral of the story is that there may be some truth to what someone says. Sometimes we can see that truth and sometimes not because they may have different perspective which we may not agree too. So, rather than arguing like the blind men, we should say, "Maybe you have your reasons." This way we don’t get in arguments. In Jainism, it is explained that truth can be stated in seven different ways. So, you can see how broad religion is. It teaches us to be tolerant towards others for their viewpoints. This allows us to live in harmony with the people of different thinking. This is known as the Syadvada, Anekantvad, or the theory of Manifold Predictions.
Similar questions