Peace Religious Harmony and Solution of World Problems from Jaina Prespective

SR No.: 001657
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 70
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Social
File Size: 4 MB

Page 54

rational and logical ought to be accepted."26 Thus, when religion tends to be rational, there will hardly be any room for intolerance. One who is throughly rational in religious matters, certainly, would not be rigid and intolerant.
Dogmaticism and fanaticism are the born children of absolutism. An extremist or absolutist holds that whatsoever he propounds is correct and what others say is false, while a relativist is of the view that he and his opponent, both may be correct if viewed from two different hence a relativist adopts a tolerant outlook towards other faiths and ideologies. It is the doctrine of Anekāntavāda or non-absolutism of the Jainas, the concept of religious tolerance is based upon. For the Jainas non-violence is the essence of religion from which the concept of nonabsolutism Syädvāda emanates. Absolutism represents "violence of thought", for, it negates the truth-value of its opponent's view and thus, hurts the feeling of others. A non-violent search for truth finds nonabsolutism.
Non-absolutism of the Jainas forbids the individual to be dogmatic and one-sided in approach. It pleads for a broader outlook and an open mindedness, which alone can resolve the conflicts that emerge from differences in ideologies and faiths. Non-absolutism regard the views of the opponent also as true. Remarks Siddhasena Divākara (C. 5th A.D.) "Allschools of thought are valid when they are understood from their own stand-point and in so far as they do not discard the truth-value of others. The knower of non-absolutism does not divide them into the category of true and false. They become false only when they reject the truth-value of other."27 It was this broader outlook of non-absolutism which made Jainas tolerant.
While expounding this tolerant outlook of the Jainas, Upadhyāya Yaśovijaya (C. 17th A.D.) mentioned "A true non-absolutist does not disdain to any faith and he treats all the faiths equally like a father to his sons. For, a non-absolutist does not have any prejudice and biased outlook in his mind. A true believer of syādvāda is that who pays equal regards to all the faiths. To remain impartial to the various faiths is the essence of being religious. A little knowledge which induces a person to be impartial is more worthwhile than the unilateral vast knowledge of scriptures. "28