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

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Multi-dimensional Application of Anekantavāda
earth but it is bad to over do it for it disturbs the balance of nature leading to serious problems of environment. They even enumerated thirty-six constituents of earth which possess life. Modern thinkers or even scientists are worried that man is so feverishly extracting natural resources that it would be pretty impossible to renew them. Voicing concern at this merciless exploitation of one sense possessing mother earth, Laptev in his book 'The World of man and the world of Nature' opines, “If the Earth could speak, it would have every right to tell us: "you are consuming my body”. The Americans have over-cultivated land threatening environment due to the shrinking of forests. And now we have a book from that land ‘Soil and survival advocating lesser cultivation and seeking passages from Buddhism, Hinduism etc. to respect mother earth. It also mentions Jainism but the usual remark that it is extreme. But the fact remains that the principles held sacred by those believing in Anekāntavāda are being proved practical and conducive to proper physical environment.
The advocates of Anekānta were well aware of conservation of resources imbalance of which is responsible for mall-environment. Two Prākstā gāthās prohibiting transgression of limits of enjoyment of fruits of certain professions (3441 FATTIG Bifer) are quoted here to illustrate the point. They are :
इंगाली वण साड़ी भाड़ी फोड़ीस वज्जए कम्मं । वाणिज्यं चेव दंत लक्ख रस केस विसविषयं ।। एवं तु जंतपीलणकम्मं निल्लंछणं च दवदाणं । सर दह तलायसोसं असद्पोसं च वज्जिज्जा ।। सावयपण्णत्ती The above Gathā stress three main things for our purpose: (१) वण-वनकर्म अर्थात् वनों के आधार पर जीविका चलाना (२) फोड़ीसु अर्थात् पत्थरों को तोड़कर या निकलवाकर जीविका करना
(३) दवदाण अर्थात् बनों में आग लगाकर अपनी रोजी चलाना । लेकिन इस सबके साथ परिमाण की सीमा लगी हुई है।
Ācārya Haribhadra Sūri by prescribing these only meant that there is no over-destruction or over-extraction or depletion of available resources which may create environmental problems.
In case of plants and trees, the postulation that they have life