Saptabhangi

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Saptabhangi" by Rupendrakumar Pagariya:

The book Saptabhangi by Rupendrakumar Pagariya emphasizes that Jainism delves as deeply into the realm of thought as it does into the sphere of conduct. To achieve liberation from the cycle of birth and death, a seeker requires purification of both conduct (achar) and thought (vichar). These two are complementary. A seeker treading the path of one-sided views (ekantkriyavad) cannot reach their destination without proper understanding. To comprehend pure conduct, a knowledge of fundamental principles (tattvajnan) is essential. Without understanding the true nature of reality, the success of one's spiritual practice remains uncertain, regardless of how deep their involvement in rituals might be. This understanding is likened to the necessity of a lamp of tattvajnan to illuminate the path.

The Infinite Nature of Things (Vastu ki Anantdhararmatmakta):

• The text highlights that true knowledge of any object requires understanding its correct nature. Every object possesses infinite attributes (anantdharmi). As our knowledge progresses, more attributes are revealed. Complete knowledge of an object is omniscience (sarvajnyata).
• While physics explores the manifestations and properties of matter, tattvajnan goes further by accepting these properties and then explaining their relationship to the substance.
• Objects have countless attributes, some known, some partially known, and some unknown, making complete understanding challenging.
• This difficulty has led to various skeptical viewpoints in the history of philosophy. However, philosophical skepticism cannot endure indefinitely.
• Lord Mahavir refuted the one-sided theories of his time, considering them partial truths. He proposed a comprehensive and relative perspective to integrate these truths, guiding the seeker towards the ultimate reality.

The Broad Perspective of Jainism:

• Truth is vast, all-encompassing, indivisible, and infinite. However, humans typically grasp it in fragmented or partial forms.
• To integrate truth into life, a broad perspective is needed. Jainism's truth-oriented, multi-faceted view (anekantdrushti), its universally tolerant principle of non-violence (ahimsa), and its long-standing syncretism (samanvayavad) all aim to facilitate individual and collective development, enabling them to transcend limitations and become enlightened.

The Nature of Substance:

• Every object in this world, whether sentient or insentient, is an indivisible mass of infinite attributes.
• An object is neither non-existent nor absolutely existent in the past, present, or future. It is eternal (nitya), but not static (kutash nitya). It is eternally undergoing transformation (parinaami nitya), with the perishing of old states and the emergence of new ones every moment.
• From the perspective of substance (dravya), an object is eternal, but from the perspective of its manifestations (paryaya), it is constantly changing. For example, a golden bracelet can be transformed into a waist chain. The form changes, but the essential nature of gold remains the same. This illustrates the principle: "Substance is eternal; form is impermanent."

Methods of Understanding Reality: Pramana and Naya:

• There are two methods of understanding substances: Pramana (valid cognition) and Naya (partial viewpoint or mode of knowing).
• Pramana grasps all or many attributes of an infinite-attribute object.
• Naya grasps a single attribute of the object. For instance, knowing "This is a pot" is Pramana, encompassing its shape, taste, smell, touch, etc. Knowing "This is a pot with a shape" is Naya, focusing only on one attribute.
• Naya-vada is a comprehensive approach in Jainism, where every issue is analyzed through the lens of Naya. No Jain scripture or concept exists without Naya.

Naya as a Valid and Invalid Perspective:

• A debate existed among Jain philosophers whether Naya should be considered valid or invalid. If valid, how does it differ from Pramana? If invalid, it would be considered erroneous knowledge.
• The solution provided is that Naya is neither entirely valid nor entirely invalid; it is a part of valid cognition. Just as a drop is not the ocean but a part of it, Naya represents a part of the object, while Pramana encompasses the whole.
• The objection that focusing on one attribute might lead to erroneous knowledge is addressed. An attribute, when understood in isolation without negating other attributes, is not erroneous. However, a Naya that negates other attributes is considered an erroneous Naya (dubious Naya or durnaya). An absolute Naya is durnaya, while a relative Naya is sunaya.

The Structure of Saptabhangi:

• Saptabhangi (Seven-Fold Predication) is a system of seven statements or seven ways of answering a question.
• The foundation of Saptabhangi lies in the rationale behind affirmative ("yes") and negative ("no") responses.
• Considering the importance of perspective (apeksha), seven types of statements are used to describe any object:
  1. Syadasti: In a certain respect, it exists.
  2. Syadnaasti: In a certain respect, it does not exist.
  3. Syadasti-naasti: In a certain respect, it exists and does not exist.
  4. Syad avaktavya: In a certain respect, it is indescribable.
  5. Syadasti-avaktavya: In a certain respect, it exists and is indescribable.
  6. Syadnaasti-avaktavya: In a certain respect, it does not exist and is indescribable.
  7. Syadasti-naasti-avaktavya: In a certain respect, it exists, does not exist, and is indescribable.
• Saptabhangi is the conception of affirmation and negation without contradiction within a single object, based on the nature of the question.
• The sevenfold predication is not merely a linguistic construct but is based on the specific attributes of the object. Each predication must be correlated with an attribute.
• The placement of an attribute should not lead to the exclusion of other attributes of the object. For example, when describing the eternality of a pot, the language used should not contradict its impermanent aspects. Saptabhangi achieves this.

Addressing Questions about Saptabhangi:

• More than Seven Predications: The text dismisses the idea of more than seven primary predications by arguing that combining the first and third, or other combinations, does not introduce new meaningful comprehensions of reality. The original seven are considered exhaustive.
• Fewer than Seven Predications: The argument that some predications might be redundant (e.g., existence and non-existence being inherently present) is refuted by asserting that existence and non-existence are distinct and cannot be merged without losing their specific meanings. This distinction is supported by logical reasoning and even by the concepts of valid and invalid arguments in other philosophical schools (Nyaya).
• The Third Predication (Existence and Non-existence): The need for the third predication (existence and non-existence) is explained by the inherent distinctness of these attributes and the experience of community (ubharup) formed by distinct elements. Just as "pot" is understood as a combination of "gha" and "ta," the simultaneous existence and non-existence are experientially distinct.
• Order of Predications: The distinction between sequential (kram) and simultaneous (yaugpadya) order in predication is clarified. The third predication describes existence and non-existence sequentially, while the fourth describes them simultaneously. They are not repetitive.
• Nine Predications: The argument for nine predications based on reversing the order of existence and non-existence (e.g., "naasti-asti") is rejected. The text states that in the third predication, existence and non-existence are independent, not in a fixed subject-predicate relation that would be altered by reversal. The emphasis is on the attributes themselves.
• The Indescribable (Avaktavya): The fourth predication, "indescribable," arises when both existence and non-existence apply simultaneously, making it impossible to describe with conventional words. This is not a result of ignorance but a logical consequence of multifaceted reality.

Sakaladesh and Vikladdesh:

• Saptabhangi is divided into two types: Pramana-Saptabhangi (Sakaladesh) and Naya-Saptabhangi (Vikladdesh).
• Sakaladesh (comprehensive description) refers to statements that provide complete knowledge of an object, encompassing all its attributes.
• Vikladdesh (partial description) refers to statements that provide knowledge of only one attribute of an object.
• The text clarifies that the first, second, and fourth predications are generally considered Vikladdesh as they focus on a single attribute, while the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh predications are Sakaladesh as they combine multiple attributes. However, the underlying principle of Saptabhangi is that even individual statements are contextual and relative.
• The idea that only the combined seven statements form Sakaladesh is rejected because even the combined statements cannot fully represent infinite attributes; only absolute knowledge (sakala shrutgyan) can do that.

The Significance of "Ev" (Indeed/Only) and "Syat" (In a certain respect):

• "Ev": The word "ev" in phrases like "Syad asti ev" (In a certain respect, it exists indeed) emphasizes the specific attribute being discussed without negating others. It clarifies that the object is exclusively that particular attribute in that specific context. The text explains three types of "ev":
  • Ayogavyavachhedak: Indicating unity or inseparable connection between attribute and substance.
  • Anyogavyavachhedak: Excluding the presence of other attributes in the given object.
  • Atyantayogavyavachhedak: Excluding the absolute absence of something. The use of "ev" with a quality indicates its presence and absence of its contrary, or its presence without the absence of other qualities.
• "Syat": The word "syat" is crucial for indicating the relational or contextual nature of any assertion, a cornerstone of anekantavada. It signifies that each statement is true from a particular viewpoint. It clarifies the manifold attributes of an object and prevents dogmatic, one-sided assertions. The necessity of both "syat" and "ev" is emphasized for a complete and nuanced understanding.

The Eight Doors (Dwar):

• The text mentions eight doors through which the relationship between attributes and substances is understood, leading to the principle of abhedavritti (non-difference). These doors are:
  1. Kaal (Time): Attributes exist together at a specific time.
  2. Aatmaroop (Self-nature): Attributes are inherent aspects of the object's nature.
  3. Aarth (Meaning/Substance): The substance is the basis for all its attributes.
  4. Sambandh (Relation): Attributes are related to the substance.
  5. Upakar (Benefit/Function): Attributes contribute to the substance's existence or function.
  6. Gunidesh (Location of the Qualified): Attributes reside in the same location as the substance.
  7. Sansarg (Association): Attributes are associated with the substance.
  8. Shabd (Word): A single word can represent the substance with all its attributes.
• The text then contrasts this with bhedavritti (difference), which is prominent from the perspective of Paryayarthik Naya (focus on manifestations). This perspective highlights the differences between attributes due to their unique natures, temporal changes, and other factors.

Why Only Seven Predications?

• The text reiterates that the seven predications are essential because they represent distinct logical categories:
  1. Syad asti ev: Focuses on the existence of an object from its own perspective.
  2. Syad naasti ev: Focuses on the non-existence of an object from an external perspective, preventing the error of absolute totality.
  3. Syad asti cha, syad naasti cha: Combines existence and non-existence sequentially, with the object as the subject and the affirmations/negations as attributes.
  4. Syad avaktavya ev: Describes the indescribable nature when contradictory attributes apply simultaneously, making verbal description impossible.
• The book also briefly discusses how anekantavada is not sophistry or doubt, as it acknowledges and describes specific attributes, unlike doubt which arises from incomplete knowledge. It concludes by noting that other philosophical schools, such as Sankhya, Nyaya, Buddhism, Charvaka, and Mimamsa, also implicitly or explicitly employ principles akin to anekantavada to explain their doctrines.