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that particular side depends on the existence of other sides. Jainismi emphasizes at the same time the fact that at any particular moment it is impossible to express in words this complexity of truth (though possible to realize it in consciousness), for words always take for expression inore moments than one,
This teaching is also known as the doctrine of many sidedness" (stienigale). For instance, the universe is eternal as well as non-eternal. If the manifestations, modifications, developinents, and activities are left out of consideration, what reinains of the universe is eternal. If merely those modifications, etc., are taken into consideration, that side of the universe (which is not a different thing from the universe, but only a different aspect,) is non-eternal, That is the only way of coming to a correct understanding and definite knowledge.
Sankaracharya, coininentator of the Vedantasutras, has fallen into a great error when he states that the Jain doctrine should not be accepted because it is impossible that contradictory attributes, such as being and non-being, should at the same time belong to one and the same thing; just as observation teaches us that a thing cannot be hot and cold at the sane mo:nent." The Jains do not teach that a thing can be hot and cold at the same moment. Bat they do teach that a thing cangot be hot absolu
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