________________
AU
CHAPTER XI.
THE DOCTRINE OF UNITY IN DIFFERENCE.
The dialectic reasoning leads to the Theory of Bhedabhed i.e. of Unity in difference-Distinction presupposes Unity-The world system is an expression of thought-The Jain conception of the Absolute distinguished from the Absolute beyond the relative of the Vedantins.
Now what has been discussed in the preceeding pages on Syadvad, it is quite apparent that the law of contradiction is the
negative aspect of the law of identity. We have seen that with the Jains, everything implies 'something' opposed to it. This' implies 'that', 'here' implies there', 'now' implies 'then'. The trend of the argument is that everything is real only in relation to and distinction from every other thing. This being so, the law of contradiction is not virtually denied absolutely. What the Jain philosophers want us to understand is this that absolute distinction which the ordinary interpretation presupposes is not a correct view of things. Rather it is to be borne in mind that distinction presupposes a unity of which, the Jiva and Ajiva and the like that
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The law of
contradic
tion is the
negation aspect of the law of iden
tity.
