Page Text
________________
are permanent and essential, while others are changing and accidental. The former are called attributes (guna) and the latter modes (paryāya). Substance and attributes are inseparable because the latter are the permanent essence of the substance and cannot remain without it. Modes or modifications are changing and accidental. Jainism here becomes a theological means, between Brahmanism and Early Buddhism'. Brahmanism emphasizes the one, the permanent, the real; Early Buddhism emphasizes the many, the changing, the unreal; Jainism points out that both are the two sides of the same thing. Reality, therefore, is also defined as that which possesses the three characteristics of origination, destruction and permanence." Substance has its unchanging essence and therefore is permanent. But it also has its changing modes and therefore is subject to origination and decay. To mistake any one-sided and partial view as the whole truth is to commit the fallacy of ekāntavāda. As Jainism takes into account all these partial views from respective perspectives, it is called anekāntavāda. Anekānta does not imply that the knowledge of one, who knows partial truth is an aikāntika and the knowledge of one who knows, the whole truth is anekāntika. The basis of anekānta is the triplicate nature (i.e. origination, cessation and permanence) of substance and not limited or unlimited to knowledge (i.e. śrutajñāna and kevaljñāna).
In this chapter effort is made to explain the concept of sat from the Jain perspective in detail with sufficient examples quoted by various ācārya-s of different time. A critical analysis of Reality can be seen throughout and it is depicted, how change is part and parcel of society based on this concept of trinity of Reality.
Jain philosophy has an important place in the domain of Indian philosophies. The concept of Reality occupies the foremost
' Ulpādavyayadhrauvyasamyuktam sat. Tattvārtha Sūtra-5.29.
S
.
27
| SR No. | 006966 |
| Book Title | Applied Philosophy of Anekanta |
| 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 |