Paryayarthika Naya (Aspect of Modification or
change) and Dravyarthika Naya (Aspect of substratum) , Seven classes of
Nayas , Utility of Naya theory .
"The distinctive feature of an unintelligent man is the
hastiness and absoluteness of his opinions. The scientist is slow to
believe and never speaks without modification always ready to concede that
it may be wrong."
Bertand Russel
The greatest contribution which the Jainas have made to
the world of thought is by their theories of Nayavada and Syadvada. The
word �Syad' in Samskrta means �perhaps' but in Jainism it is used to show
the relativity of a judgement and the word �Nyaya' means �Standpoint'.
Truth or reality is always complex and has many aspects. If one is
impressed by one of the aspects of a complex reality and begins to
identify the reality only by that aspect he is bound to make a wrong
judgement about the reality. Therefore, the Jaina seers exhort us to look
at the complexities of life and knowledge, from every standpoint and from
positive as well as negative aspects. They recognise that the apprehension
of an ordinary human being is partial and hence valid only from a
particular point of view which cannot give a correct or even a nearly
correct comprehension of the whole. The complex reality has not only
infinite number of qualities but also infinite number of relations. Again,
it may be looked at differently by different persons and under their
different circumstances. It assumes different forms and appearances for
which due allowance ought to be made. All this makes it difficult to form
a correct judgement about it unless a systematic and logical method is
found to identify it. This method is called Nayavada. As
Dr.S.Radhakrishnan observes --
"The doctrine of Nayas of Standpoint is a peculiar
feature of Jaina logic. A Naya is a standpoint from which we make a
statement about a thing - What is true from one standpoint may not be true
from another. Particular aspects are never adequate to the whole reality.
The relative solutions are abstractions under which reality may be
regarded, but do not give us a full and sufficient account of it. Jainism
makes basic and fundamental principle that truth is relative to our
standpoint."
Thus �Naya' can be defined as a particular view point-a
view point which gives only a partial idea about an object or view which
cannot over rule the existence of another or even a contrary view about
the same object. If an object or theory is judged only from one
standpoint, the judgement is one sided and it is termed as �Ekanta'. �Eka'
means �one' and �Anta' means �end', thus Ekanta means one-sidedness. The
Jainas therefore ask us to judge from all aspects which is called �Anekanta'.
This is the basic principle of Jaina philosophy. Every fundamental
principle of Jaina philosophy is based on Anekanta. Throughout, its
approach Anekanta has been to accept the different aspects or even
contradictory aspects of the reality and to evolve a synthesis between the
contradictory philosophical theories. For instance, some of the Vedantic
teachers have said that every visible form has an unchangeable substance.
From a lump of clay many forms can be made but clay-substance remains the
same. So, only that substance which remains unchanged and permanent is
real, the forms are unreal as they are ever changing. From this point of
view, only �Brahma', which pervades the universe, is true and the rest
which is tangible is unreal and untrue called �Maya'. On the contrary, the
Buddhists contend that everything in the universe is constantly changing
and the change is so rapid that the apparent continuity gives the
appearance of some unchanging entity, which is not there. It is, according
to Buddhist belief, just like a flowing river which gives the appearance
of continuity but every drop of water which flows is different. What we
perceive in clay is only a particular quality but even qualities are
changing and hence there is nothing permanent which can be received
besides changing qualities of an object. Thus according to Buddhists even
Atman (soul) is not permanent.
A Jaina seer would say, both are correct from the stand
point from which they look at the problem, but both make their statements
which do not conform to the principle of Anekanta and hence do not give a
correct judgement of the reality. Jainas say that changes are as real as
the original substance. A jug made of a clay substance cannot be used as
anything except as a jug and since the use is real, the form of a jug
which clay has assumed, cannot be unreal. If the clay substance assumes
some other form of an earthen vessel meant for cooking, that vessel cannot
be used as a jug even though clay substance remains the same. If this is
so, how can we say that the form which the substance assumes at a
particular time is unreal and only the substance is real. The substance of
clay appears to be the only real thing to those who concentrate on
substance and ignores the form. It is not correct to say that because
there is a change in the form, the changing form is unreal. If it is real
even for a moment, its reality must be accepted and recognised, if a
comprehensive view of the whole reality is to be taken. If one wants a jug
he would not ask you to bring a lump of clay because what he wants is a
jug and not clay. Thus according to Jainism the Vedantist view is Ekanta
and does not give a complete idea of the reality.
Similarly even the Buddhist view does not give the
comprehensive idea because it concentrates its attention only on change
and ignores the fact, that behind every change there is a constant
substance, which remains the same. Analogy of rivers is fallacious because
though it may be true that the apparent flow is made of different drops,
water substance remains the same. Moreover, it would not be correct to say
that the intrinsic quality substances are changing though their outward
form may not be changing. For instance water may change the form and
become ice or vapour but its intrinsic elements namely H2O
remain the same. Thus the Jainas would contend that the Buddhists ignore
to take into account that substance which is permanent.
Paryayarthika and Dravyarthika Naya
According to the Jainas, in order to have a complete
and comprehensive judgement of reality one has to take into account the
main substance which has the element to permanence and goes under the
changes in various forms. In this process of change the previous form dies
away and new form comes into existence. The birth of the new form is
called Utpada, the death of the old form is called Vyaya and the substance
which remains constant during this process of birth and death is called
Dhrauvya. When one is able to comprehend all these three, one can arrive
at a proper judgement about the thing in question. When the self takes the
form of a human being you can know it as a �man' or a �woman'. When it
takes a form of the vegetable, you can describe it as �grass'. All these
descriptions are true from the standpoint of the forms which the self has
assumed. So, when we recognise a thing from the point of view of the
modification or change, it is called �Paryayarthika Naya'. Paryaya means
modification, change. But when we recognise that thing from the point of
view of substance. The former consider changing aspect of reality while
the later considers its permanent aspect. A correct and comprehensive
perception of a thing is possible when its permanent substance (Dravya) is
taken into account along with its existing mode (Paryaya). As Acarya
Siddhasena puts it : "Anekantatmakam Vastu Gocarah", i.e., we can
understand a thing properly by perceiving its various aspects.
