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The Right Perspective of Anekânta
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statistics.” “The Jain view of 'existence, persistence and cessation' as the fundamental characteristics of all that is real necessarily leads to a view of element as something relatively permanent and relatively changing which has a fervor of statistical reasoning 'A real changes every moment and at the same time continues' is a view which is somewhat sympathetic to the underlying idea of stochastic processes.” “Finally, I should draw attention to the realist and pluralist view of Jain philosophy and the continuing emphasis on the multiform and intently diversified aspects of element which amounts to the acceptance of an 'open' view of the universe with scope for unending change and discovery. For reasons explained above, it seems to me that the ancient Indian Jain philosophy has certain interesting resemblances to the probabilistic and statistical view of element in modern times.” Simultaneity Anekānta does not reject concepts like impossibility or improbability. For example, it is accepted by Anekānta that it is neither possible nor probable that the Jiva (soul) may possess the particular modes of atom (which is not jiva). Similarly, it is neither possible nor probable that the nonsentient substances (ajîva) may posses the modes of jiva (the sentient substance). It is not expected of the doctrine of Anekānta to turn impossible into possible or improbable into
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