Multidimensional Application of Anekantavada

SR No.: 014009
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain, Shreeprakash Pandey, Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 552
Language: English, Hindi
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 9 MB

Page 116

A Treatment of Nature of Reality: Anekāntavāda
and impermanent, speakable and unspeakable and such other contradictory points. It is undoubtedly a means of right knowledge. Siddhasena explained deeply the all-embracing range of the doctrine of Anekantavāda. It is exposed by Pt. Sukhalalji he says: As it is used as regards all other things, it is used sometimes with reference to itself and thus it makes its own position also quite clear. When it is used with reference to a certain thing, it looks at the thing from all possible sides and tries to harmonise all these sides and places them in their right place. It takes a man to the real nature of a thing. For instance, regarding Jada and cetana, some say that the two are identical or non-identical; some say that the two are eternal; some say that both of them are ephemeral; or some that they are one many. Now to harmonise all these views and to assign proper plans to each of the above views is the mission of Anekantavāda. It creates a harmony among all the warring view and thus gives the right view of every thing. Thus it says that Jada and Cetana are identical from the standpoint of general and are different from the standpoint of particular. So also in the case of eternal and non-eternal, one and the many. Thus it creates a harmony between the opposing qualities of identity and difference by assigning a right place to each characteristic. Siddhasena in this connection clarified that even Anekantaväda may sometimes become Ekanta if one-sided view of a thing comes to mind'.
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The reality possesses three common characters, viz. utpāda (origination), vyaya (destruction) and dhrau vya (permanence through birth and decay). It also possesses the attributes (gunas) called anvayi and which co-exist with substance (dra vya) and modification (paryāya) called vyatireki, which succeed each other.
Bhedavāda
In this regard the discussion of the oneness or otherwise of a substance and its attributes is made in Indian philosophies. Siddhasena in his Sanmatitarka refuted them and established his own view on the basis of Anekantavāda. The Vaiśesikas believe that attributes or qualities of a substance are different from the substance and depend upon the substance because these attributes of colour, smell, touch, taste are comprehended by means of other than those of its attributes. For instance, a pillar and a jar are different from each other for both have got different