Ahimsa and Jainism

Author(s): Vijayvallabhsuri
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

Page 78

( 71 )
anger, hatred, and attachment and these deeprooted passions debase the spirit.
EMPHASIS ON THE RELATIVE VIEW OF REALITY (Anekantavada or syadvada )
Another characteristic Jain doctrine also reveals tbis trait of giving proper consideration to others apart from one's ownself Different authorities, we know, all equally respectable, hold views about reality which appear to be diverse, conflicting and mutually contradicting. The general tendency is to be dogmatic about one of these views and brand others as wrong or erroneous. But Jainism holds that a dogmatic approach withholds the knowledge of the truth in its entirety, Diversity of statements does not necessarily prove them all to be false. On proper consideration each one of them would be found to contain partial or relative truth.
The fact is, most people commit the error of adopting an absolutistic approach. But reality has infinite aspects and attributes. Finite minds cam comprehend only a few of these at a time and accordingly the views and statements based on them would be valid from particular standpoints only. In other words if we accept that there are