Purushartha Siddhi Upay Gatha 2

English Translation of Purushartha Siddhi Upay (Shri Amritchandracharya) Mangala Sanskrit Tika – : Muni shri Pranamya Sagar Maharaj (Under Acharya shri Vidyasagar Maharaj).

Utthānikā (Invocation): After saluting the chosen deity, the second Ārya is written while remembering the teachings of Jināgama:

Anvaya (Literal Translation): “I (Amṛtacandra Ācārya) salute the Anekānta (non-absolutism), which is the seed of the supreme scripture (Paramāgama), destroys the misconceptions of the blind, is illuminated by all viewpoints, and dispels contradictions.”

Meaning of Anvaya: The Anekānta (non-absolutism) that (1) removes the misconceptions of those who are like blind men trying to understand an elephant, (2) is illuminated by all perspectives (Nayas), (3) destroys contradictions, and (4) is the seed of the supreme scripture (Paramāgama)—that Anekānta, free from partiality, I (Amṛtacandra Ācārya) salute.

Anekaant ko naman ho, paramaagam ka beej .

Sab nay se haathee lakho, dvesh mite mat kheej ॥2॥

Anekānta is saluted as the seed of the supreme scripture.
With all viewpoints, see the elephant; let malice and anger be destroyed. ॥2॥

Commentary: Anekānta is where an object is not described with a single attribute or characteristic. Alternatively, Anekānta refers to the philosophy characterized by Syādvāda (the doctrine of conditional predication). I (Amṛtacandra Ācārya) salute this supreme scripture in the form of Anekānta. Objects possess many contradictory attributes. Those who accept only one attribute of an object according to their preference, disregarding all other attributes, are called Ekāntavādins (those who hold a one-sided view). Every object inherently possesses multiple attributes such as permanence, impermanence, generality, specificity, unity, multiplicity, relativity, and absoluteness. It is said in Parīkṣāmukha that “An object composed of many attributes cannot be grasped in a one-sided manner.”

Syādvāda is a method of expression. Saying something with the prefix “Syāt” (perhaps) is called Syādvāda. “Syāt Sat” (perhaps it is) means that in some respect, the object exists. “Syāt Asat” (perhaps it is not) means that in some respect, the object does not exist. The word “Syāt” is an indeclinable particle derived from the verb root “Śyat.”

By understanding the seven-fold predication (Saptabhaṅgī) through the principles of affirmation and negation, the method of expressing intended and unintended attributes is called Syādvāda. The word “Syāt” rejects absolute singularity and, like the word “Kim” (what), denotes conditional or contextual meaning. Hence, words like “Kathañcit” (in some way) are synonymous with Syādvāda. This Syādvāda considers the perspectives of the seven-fold predication and viewpoints (Nayas), and it differentiates between what should be accepted and rejected. Without Syādvāda, it is not possible to definitively distinguish between what should be adopted or discarded.

Doubt: What are the special characteristics of Anekānta?

Resolution: Anekānta is the seed of the supreme scripture (Paramāgama). The supreme scripture, or Paramāgama, is its origin or cause. Without the definitive understanding of Anekānta, a scripture cannot be called a supreme scripture. Other philosophical traditions also have their scriptures and canonical texts, but those should not be considered here because it is said in Parīkṣāmukha that the knowledge obtained through the words of an Āpta (an authoritative person) is called Āgama. In some places, the word “Jīvam” (life) is seen in place of “Bījam” (seed). Here, the meaning remains the same, and there is no contradiction, as Anekānta is the life (essence) of the supreme scripture (Paramāgama), meaning it is the vital principle of the supreme scripture.

The special characteristic of Anekānta (non-absolutism) is further explained through the story of the blind men and the elephant. This story is presented to help understand Anekānta.

Once, seven blind men in a town were eager to “see” an elephant. They approached the elephant and, by touching different parts of the elephant with their hands, began to discuss among themselves what the elephant was like. The one who touched the elephant’s leg said, “The elephant is like a pillar.” The one who touched the ear said, “The elephant is like a winnowing basket.” The one who touched the tusk said, “The elephant is like a pestle.” The one who touched the trunk said, “The elephant is like an arm.” The one who touched the belly said, “The elephant is like a mud wall.” The one who touched the tail said, “The elephant is like a rope.” The one who touched the head said, “The elephant is like a coconut.”

In this way, a great dispute arose about the nature of the elephant since they were “seeing” it without the use of sight. The essence of this story is that only the supreme scripture (Paramāgama)—which acts like eyes—can resolve the dispute about the true nature of an object. No other method can do so. The phrase “illuminated by all perspectives” (Sakala-naya-vilasitānām) implies that Anekānta removes the contradictions among objects, which are illuminated by various perspectives (Nayas).

The number of viewpoints (Nayas) corresponds to the number of attributes (Dharmas) in an object. Since the nature of an object is characterized by infinite attributes, there are also infinite Nayas. The various paths of speech correspond to the number of Nayas as per the speaker’s intention. Alternatively, the number of Nayas equals the number of ways of expression, and there is no contradiction in this. It is also said, “As many ways of expression exist, there are as many Nayas, and as many Nayas exist, there are as many timeframes.”

However, earlier teachers have defined seven Nayas, encompassing all intentions. These are:

1. Naiyāyika (analytical viewpoint)
2. Saṃgraha (synthetic viewpoint)
3. Vyavahāra (practical viewpoint)
4. Ṛjusūtra (straightforward viewpoint)
5. Śabda (verbal viewpoint)
6. Sāmabhirūḍha (etymological viewpoint)
7. Evambhūta (actual viewpoint)

In the Sūtra, “Sakala-naya” is given, which should be understood as referring to all Pramāṇas (valid means of knowledge) and Nayas, because when part of a sentence is expressed, the whole sentence’s meaning is understood. For example, Bhīmasena can be referred to as simply “Bhīma” or “Sena,” and the understanding of the whole Bhīmasena is still conveyed. As stated, “Complete understanding relies on Pramāṇas, while incomplete understanding relies on Nayas.”

Thus, the nature of an object is adorned by Pramāṇas and Nayas. Despite holding mutually contradictory attributes based on different perspectives, an object never experiences contradiction. Therefore, I (Amṛtacandra Ācārya) salute the Anekānta, which is distinguished by these special characteristics. ॥2॥

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