Applied Philosophy of Anekanta

SR No.: 006966
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Shashiprajna Samni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati Institute
Publication Year: 2012
Total Pages: 220
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 31

2. The question of oneness and separateness of the soul
and the body, and 3. The question of permanence and impermanence of
the soul.
It could be possible that Buddha, in choosing not to be committal in answering the ten questions in either an affirmative way or a negative way, might have dismissed them as inexplicable, though much later on, he believed and asserted that everything is anitya or evanescent. However, the clarification of the first four questions form among the ten, which were considered inexplicable by Lord Buddha, is available in the adhikāra of Skandak-Parivrājaka in Bhagavatī Sūtra.
All these questions remained unanswered by him, because he considered that these questions were irrelevant to the practical teaching of the four noble. truths. He says, one can refer to the parable of the man, shot with an arrow. When that man is bleeding to death, it is irrelevant, and rather stupid, to ask, "Who shot the arrow?" For the immediate need would be to pull out the arrow and save the man from dying. In another place, Buddha exposed, how utterly senseless was the question about whether Tathāgata exists after death or not. I just show the path of the destruction of birth and death and only this is fruitful to you and rest of the questions of eternality of loka etc. should be considered as inexplicable.
The first two avyākhyāta questions were explained by Mahāvīra in the following manner
"Bhikku Jamālī was asked by Honorable Goutama as follows: 'Is the world eternal or is it non-eternal?' Being asked in this manner, Jamālī was thus confused, the venerable Mahāvīra told Bhikkhu Jamālī thus : Jamālī,"I have many disciples who are nirgrantha ('without a stitch') ascetics and not even omniscient, but they are able to tell the answer as much as I can. Otherwise, they would not have spoken to you, as they have in the present case. The world is, Jamālī, eternal. It did not