Title: Ācārya Devasena’s Ālāpa Paddhati – The Ways of Verbal Expression  श्रीमदाचार्य देवसेन विरचित आलाप पद्धति
Description: Ālāpa Paddhati, composed by Ācārya Devasena (c. tenth century, Vikrama Samvat) is a Jaina text primarily on the topics of the standpoints (naya) and the secondary-standpoints (upanaya). It also delves into the substances (dravya), their qualities or attributes (guṇa), modes (paryāya), and nature (svabhāva). It is true that without appreciating the import and applicability of the individual standpoints (naya), one may get lost in the complex maze of the standpoints and cause great harm to one’s understanding, and even to one’s mental balance.
Ālāpa Paddhati is essential reading for every serious reader of the Dravyānuyoga that spreads the light of right (scriptural) knowledge by illuminating the Reality of substances – soul (jīva) and non-soul (ajīva), merit (puṇya) and demerit (pāpa), bondage (bandha) and liberation (mokṣa), including influx (āsrava), stoppage (saṃvara), and gradual dissociation (nirjarā).
The book has a useful Appendix that explains the doctrines of non-absolutism (anekāntavāda) and conditional predication (syādvāda).
This slim volume needs to be read over and over again to internalize the underlying concepts fully.
Subjects: substance (dravya), attribute (guṇa), mode (paryāya), nature (svabhāva), valid-knowledge (pramāṇa), standpoint (naya), installation (nikṣepa), real or transcendental standpoint (niścaya naya), empirical standpoint (vyavahāra naya), standpoint of the substance (dravyārthika naya), standpoint of the mode (paryāyārthika naya), secondary-standpoint (upanaya), intrinsic empirical standpoint (sadbhūta vyavahāra naya), non-intrinsic (alien) empirical standpoint (asadbhūta vyavahāra naya), figurative, non-intrinsic (alien) empirical standpoint (upacarita asadbhūta vyavahāra naya)
Time periods: 10th Century