Anekanta : Philosophy of Co-existence: 07.05 Naya, Anekanta and Rules of Thinking - The Rules of Thought

The Rules of Thought

Based on naya (viewpoint) there are eight rules of thought:

1. Substance is real. Based on it thoughts have been developed.
2. A thought without substance is impractical. It cannot be given more importance than imagination. A word whose meaning is explicit in its action (kriyakaritva) cannot be regarded as merely imagination.
3. Substance cannot be known in entirety. Our knowledge does not have the capacity to know altogether all the different modes of substance.
4. We can only know the whole substance through perspective of identity (abhed briti and avedopachar).
5. It is not possible to know the substance face to face. It can only be known through modes.
6. One can know only one mode at a time.
7. It is not possible to explain the innumerable modes of the future just by the knowledge of one mode. So it is advisable to analyse relative truth.
8. Existence is an absolute truth. It can be assumed on the basis of its mode but its direct knowledge cannot be gained.