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The Axioms of Anekānta
speculative age it was in demand for the synthesis of philosophical issues of all types. The Concomitance of Being and Non-being The following dialogue between Lord Mahāvîra and his disciple Gautama throws welcome light on the problem. Gautama: O Lord, does being change into being? Does
non-being change into non-being? Lord : Yes, Gautama! This is exactly so. Gautama: O Lord! Does this change of being into being
and non-being into non-being take place owing
to some effort or occur spontaneously? Lord : Gautama! It is effected by effort and also occurs
spontaneously. Gautama: O Lord! Does your non-being change into non
being exactly in the same way as your being changes into being? Similarly does your being change into being exactly as your non-being
changes into non-being? Lord : Yes, Gautama! That is exactly so. The above dialogue clearly defines Lord Mahāvîra's assertion of the concomitance of being and non-being in the same entity as also their distinct causal identities. Lord Mahāvîra rejected both the propositions, viz. everything exists (sarvam asti) and nothing exists (sarvam nāsti). He proposed a synthesis of the two. Both being and non-being are
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