The Theory of Syadavada or Saptabhangi

Seven different ways of saying the same thing.

According to Jainism, each truth can be represented in different ways, each as a possibility or probability, but not as the entire truth by itself. Each proposition is true in the context of certain conditions. It may not hold good otherwise. Thus from any given point of view, a thing:

1. Is

2. Is not

3. Is and is not.

4. Is inexpressible.

5. Is and is inexpressible

6. Is not and is inexpressible, and

7. Is, is not, and is inexpressible

Syad asti (IS): A thing exists in the context of its self. If you are a hundred miles away from a tree and never saw it, for you it may not exist, but for the tree it always exists, irrespective of what others may think.

Syad nasti (IS NOT) : A thing does not exist in the context of other forms, other substance, another place or another time. A tree exists in its present form, shape, time and place. But if you consider it to be a different tree, with a different form, shape, time and place, you may say it does not exist.

Syad asti nasti (IS and IS NOT): A thing may or may not exist at the same time. It may exist by itself, but for others it may not exist. It may exist in one sense, but does not exist in another sense. The tree may exist. But for a person who cannot identify the tree, it does not exist. Thus it exists but also does not exist at the same time.

Syad avyaktaya: Since so many interpretations are possible in respect of one truth, one can say that it is also inexpressible. Since I know that the tree is there, that the tree is not there, that the tree is there but also is not there simultaneously, I do not know how to express this truths convincingly. So I say, it is, it is not and it is also inexpressible.

Syad asti avyaktaya: The thing is there, but it is inexpressible. We know that a truth exists, but sometimes we cannot express it for one reason or the other.

Syad nasti avyaktaya: The thing is not there, but it is not possible to express it. We know sometimes that something does not exist, but we cannot speak about it.

Syad asti nasti avyaktaya: A thing is there, is not there, and at the time it is inexpressible.

In conclusion we may say that according to Jainism we can make many statements about the same truth. A thing may exist in the context of its own form, substance, place and time. So we can say a tree is a thing that is the tree. Similarly a thing may not exist in the context of another form, another substance, another place and another time. So we can say that a tree is not a thing that is not the tree. The other variations that are described here are further elaboration of these two fundamental statements of pure logic.