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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
THE DOCTRINE OF ANEKANTA AND ITS
SIGNIFICANCE
Ahimsā non-violence or non-hurting, aparigraha putting limitation to one's worldly possessions and anekānta non-absolutism are the fundamental tenets or doctrines in Jainism; and they prominently stand as unique contribution to human thought and life. Among these ahimsā holds the key position; thc other two can be'said to be its extended forms on other realms of man's life. Ahimsā plays the cardinal role in man's ethical discipline; aparigraha or rather parimita-parigraha - limited possessions or icchā-parimana - putting limitation to one's desire, happens to be its one extended role on man's socio-economic plane and anekanta-drsti - non-absolutistic attitude the other extended role on the plane of thought.
Philosophically speaking anekānta is the name of Reality which is complex and according to which every object possesses indefinite aspects or characteristics. Dr.T.G.Kalghatgi elucidates it as follows' : Anckanta consists in the many-sided approach to the study of problem. It arose as an anti-dote to the one-sided or absolute approach (ekanta)- to the study of Reality of philosophers in those good old days. Pt.K.C.Sastri explains the same at some
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