An Analysis Of 'Syāt' In Syādvāda^[1]

Many scholars have acknowledged the importance of the role that Syādvāda or Saptabhaṅgī plays in the exposition and explanation of central tenet of the Jaina Philosophy. In the elaboration of the doctrine of Syādvāda the expression 'syāt' is rendered by such corresponding expressions as 'possibly', 'may be', 'it is possible, probable 'perhaps' etc. The point of such rendering and their explanations is that some kind of modal predicate or possibility is involved in the doctrine. But, unfortunately, hardly any effort is made to analyse and explain the kind of possibility that is involved in such a doctrine. It is the object of this paper to focus attention on this issue. The entire paper falls into four main sections: the first deals with the brief statement of the various kinds of possibilities which western philosophical and logical discussion have brought to forefront, the second attempts to offer interpretation of 'syāt', the third focusses on the question of the kind of possibility or possibilities that such an interpretation of 'syāt' embraces and the final section discusses some of the important consequence this explanation leads to.