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Anekāntavāda & Jurisprudence
M. B. Shah
The doctrine of Syādváda may mean logical process of reasoning to find out the truth. The truth or reality reveals itself in different ways at different stages of our knowledge. What is true from one standpoint may not be true from another, particular aspects are never adequate to the whole reality. The subject may be pertaining to “Ātmă” or “Jiva" It may pertain to worldly affairs. The task of finding out the truth has all throughout remained a complex and vexed one. Syādvāda provides that to find out the truth, particular subject is to be looked from many-fold ways and views. All the possibilities are required to be thought over. There should be comparative study. The subject is also to be dealt with in the context of a particular situation or from its relative aspect. This doctrine insists on the correlativity of affirmation and negation by the method known as Saptabhangi. For knowing things clearly and distinctly, it is required to be known in its self-existence as well as in its relations to other objects. Still however, the principle of Syādvāda does not mean that the revelation or ascertainment of truth is by a fragile mind. The decision is to be arrived at logically and fairly after removing all the doubts and after dealing with the contrary views from all angles. Hence, the purpose of doctrine of Syādvāda is to ascertain the truth with regard to a particular subject. In this context, it can be said that Syādvāda is the foundation of justice and is the heart of parliamentary form of democracy.
Lord Māhāvīra has preached Ahiṁsā as way of life-Acāra...
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