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-YATEENDRASURI SMARAK GRANTH
One statemant in the Taittiriya Upnished has these words 'about the through grasp of absolute Reality that is Brahman.
That from which speech comes back together with the mind without attaining him."
According to this statement the Ultimate Reality is not within the purview of speech.
Buddhism states that is mans life there are several things that are indefinable (Avyakrita) and so, states the Acaranga sutra (170)
``All sounds or word fall back and there is no reason there."
Jainism also refers to several experiences as Anabhilapya in the same sense.
A brief sumary of this famous doctrine of Saptabhangi, which elaborates or Anekantavada, is very much there with Jainism because of its famous doctrine of Pluralistic Realism" Thus it is, that Anekatmavada is a link between pluralistic Realism and the theory of knowledge of the Jainas.
It would be in fitness of things it we give a brief summery of the doctrine of Naya in the words of Pundit Sukhlalji. This will go a long way in helping us to expand views in the realm of application -
(1) The spirit of Saptabhangi is inspired by the desire to co-ordinate the contemporary mutually contradictory isms..
(2) We should there by precisely check the nature of the object and derive real knowledge. This is the goal.
(3) Basically, only three options are possible with regard to any trait that strikes the intellect. However we multiply the number by changes of word, only number seven is possible.
(4) Saptabhangi is found with each trait of an object. This is one proof of the view of Anekanta. It's examples are given as word, Atma etc. This is because the ancient Arya thinkers thought principally on Atma, and at the most took Sabda in their discussion on the authority of the Agamas.
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(5) In the philosophies, vedic etc., in the.philosophy of Vallabha in particular, the doctrine of Sarva dharma Samanvaya the co-ordination of all traits, is a form only of this, Shankara himself describes object but states that it is indefinable.
(6) The purpose at the root is to bring to gether all that cannot be disproved by proof,"22
Radhakrishan however states -
"This fact that we are conscious of our relativity means the we have to reach out to a fuller conception. It is from that higher absolute point of view that the lower relatives can be explained. All true explanation is from above downwards."23
and
"The recognition of every form of knowledge as relative, something bound to pass over into something else, requires us to assume a larger reality, an absolute in which all the relatives fall"24
We can state that even this attempt on part of the scholars and sages to take up these Saptabhangsinaya, which is a corrolary to Anekantavada is an attempt by the Jain as to reach the highest conceivable truth, to prefection. Even as an attempt to reach perfection, it is worth experimentation.
If we state that absolutism is an extreme, so is pluralistic Realise of the Jainas; the Jains also given to us descriptions of the freed soul in the stages-Jiva, Atma, Paramatama, Tirthankara and Siddha. It is true that positive descriptions are given of the great soul as that it has infinite consciousness, pure understanding, absolute freedom and external bliss................ 25
Application of Anekantavada
As we come to the question of application of this doctrime in various spheres of life and in the spheres of philosophy, we will take a few examples and see how the doctrine will suit and apply in these. But as we do this, two statements will be worth noticing.
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