THE LOGICAL STRUCTURE OF THE "NAYA" METHOD OF THE JAINAS

[...]the comprehensive viewpoint [consists in] the comprehension without [making] any distinction between such an individual [thing] furnished with particular features or [things]THE LOGICAL STRUCTURE OF THE NAYA METHOD 383belonging to its class.17 [2] The collective viewpoint [consists in] the comprehension of, [say,] present, past and future pots, distinguished by the name and other [standpoints (niks. epa)], whether with regard to one [individual] or to many [things belonging to its class].18[3] The empirical viewpoint [consists in] the comprehension of precisely such [present, past and future things like pots, grasped by the collective viewpoint], comprehensible to common people and experts, [and] accessible to the conventional practice just as they are gross objects.19 [4] The direct viewpoint [consists in] the comprehension of precisely such [particular things grasped by the empirical viewpoint] which are existent [here] (sc. which are being perceived here) and are present (existing now).20 [5] The accurate verbal viewpoint [consists in] the comprehension of precisely those [objects, grasped by means of the direct viewpoint, like] pots, that are present, that comprise one of [such categories like] name etc. [and] that are already well-known.21 [6] The etymological viewpoint [consists in] the variance (sc. lack of any equivalence) in the understanding of precisely such present [particular things grasped by the accurate verbal viewpoint], like [the case of two expressions:] contemplation and meditation.22 [7] The factual [viewpoint] means the grasping of the meaning mutually dependent on subtle momentary manifestation [of an object] and the meaning [of the word denoting it, but] only [in the case] of these [present objects grasped by the etymological viewpoint].2324What is conspicuous in the above account of the sevenfold description is that each viewpoint is directly related to the one preceding it and represents a further restriction of the point of reference. The comprehensive [viewpoint] ... has as [its] scope existence and non-existence.40As the second step, the scope of the comprehensive viewpoint (naigama-naya) is narrowed down by excluding the particular and laying stress on the universal alone. [...]saying that Falstaff met Mr. Ford is tantamount to saying that Falstaff met Mr. Brook, or x follows y and y is preceded by x refer to the same arrangement of events, or Hesperus, as a western star seen in the evening, and Phosphorus, a light-bringi