Jain Theism

SR No.: 006509
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hemant Shah
Publisher: Hemant Shah
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 218
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Religion
File Size: 10 MB

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Jain Logic India, observed, “The doctrine of Syādvāda is a valuable contribution of Jainism to Indian religions and world philosophy." Prof. A.B. Dhruva puts as, “Syādvāda is not a doctrine of speculative interest, one intended to solve a mere ontological problem, but has a bearing upon man's psychological and spiritual life.”' Dr. H.S. Bhattacharya says, “Syādvāda is a theory presenting things as they really are : it is not a set of formal propositions, divorced from and unconnected with matters of experience.” Dr. A.N. Upadhhye writes, “It has supplied the philosopher with catholicity of thought, convincing him that Truth is not anybody's monopoly with tariff walls of denominational religion, while furnishing the religious aspirant with the virtue of intellectual toleration which is the part of that Ahimsa which is one of the fundmental tenents of Jainism." Lastly, in the words of Dr. Y. J. Padmarajiah “Anekāntavāda is the heart of Jain metaphysics and Nayavād and Syādvāda (or
i) are its main arteries. or, to use a happier metaphor, the bird of anekāntavāda flies on its wings of Nayavāda and Syädväda." 3.3.6 Syādvāda and Omniscience
The Jain metaphysics and epistemology with its logic or dialectic method has greately contributed to Indian thought. It is more so, perhaps, due to its doctrine of Anekāntavāda, Syādvāda and Nayavāda. The very foundation of these theories is Jain maintaining the reality to be dynamic and can consist only with relative or conditional predication. The theory of non-absolution is not simply a refutation or attack on absolution. It is a solution to many problems due to absolution. Dr. S. Mookerjee in his “The Jain philosophy of non-absolutism says, “If things were real in an absolute sense there would be no causation, as it is possible if only an event which was non-existent is brought into existence''63 “Again if things were held to be existent in an absolute sense, and if non-existence were denied the result would be equally disastrous. There would be no distinction of one thing from another, there would be no beginning, no end, there would be nothing like individualality. In other words, things would be nothing, entity would be reduced to non-entity."64
Thus we find that in Anekāntavada and Syādvāda Jains bring a solution to the age old controversy between the absolutism and nihilism or between the one and the many or the real and the unreal.
63. Dr. S. Mookerjec, The Jain Philosophy of Non-Absolutism, (1978) p. 24 64. Ibid., p. 29