A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE JAINA THEORIES OF REALITY AND KNOWLEDGE

The books is divided into two parts (bound in one Volume). Part I is related to the nature of Reality. The author formulates five types of approach to the problem of Reality. He discovers flaws in the following four: (1) the philosophy of identity, (2) that of difference, (3) of identity in difference in which identity predominates and (4) of identity in difference in which difference predominates. The only approach which he finds flawless is the Jaina view, namely of identity in difference in which identity in difference in which identity is co-ordinate with difference. The author proceeds to discuss two aspects of reality, viz. the relational structure and causal efficiency and shows that the two can exist and function only within the framework of a co-ordinate identity in difference, accepted by the Jaina thinkers. This is followed by a search for the meaning and content of the notion of substance and an attempt is made to distinguish between the concepts of intrinsic and extrinsic attributes.

Part 2 presents an analytical account of the methods of knowledge recognized by the Jaina thinkers under the characteristic doctrines of standpoints and of conditional predication (Nayavada and Syadvada) preceded by an investigation into the nature and the logical evolution of the theory of manifoldness Anekantavada).

About the Author:

DR. Y. J. PADMARAJIAH was a great genius. His earlier research work on the concept of Time, produced for the Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy, was greatly appreciated by Prof. M. Hiriyanna. His paper on the subject, contributed to the Indian Philosophical Conference 1945, was published in the Journal of the Mysore University, Sec. A, 1947. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Oxford University for the present work-Jaina Theories of Reality and Knowledge-which won him the appreciation of Dr. A. L. Basham, a reputed scholar of modern time. Dr. S. N. Dasgupta spoke highly of his researches in the branch of comparative philosophy associated with the allied trends of Indian and Western thought. Dr. H. N. Spalding, the founder of the Spalding Chair of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University, thought very highly of him as a man and a scholar.