________________
4. The Right Perspective of Anekânta The canonical literature (āgamas) of the Jainas forms the basis of their philosophical thoughts. The word 'anekānta' does not appear in the Āgamas. The word was first used in the beginning of the age of philosophical writings. Probably, Siddhasena Divākara was the first to use it. The basis of anekānta is naya. The Bhagavati Sūtra deals with element from the point of view of two nayas – the substantial (dravyārthika) and the modal (paryāyārthika). The two points of view (naya) are relative, according to Acharya Siddhạsena. Their relativity is known as anekānta. Some philosophical thoughts in India flow between absolute permanence and absolute transitoriness. The insentient element (prakrti), according to Sānkhya, is permanent-cumtransitory, but the sentient element (puruşa) is absolutely permanent, having no modifications. According to the Vaišeşika philosophy, the earth is permanent as cause and transitory as effect, but soul, God and space are without any modification. The element is momentary, according to the Buddhists - whatever is real is momentary, just as the cloud. The concept of eternity is rejected outright in the Buddhist philosophy. In the Vedānta, Brahma is absolutely
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
