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aoni
YATEENDRASURI SMARAK GRANTH (c) Only through respect for others, one break out, the very essence; essence does not here mean
ground and come nearer to the vision of oth- necessarily only the best in Jainism as stated earers. This requires larger hearteness.
lier, Can he possibliy become objective ? How? Avoidance of extremes though it is not exactly
Becoming objective means making his state of the adherence to the middle path (Madhyama
mind clean and this is, possible by a conscious Marga) of the Buddhists
due acceptance that he can become open-minded. (e) Itis a hard affort to arrive at the right decision
He has to keep the doors and windows of his mind
and heart open to receive all good and all that is () In the realms of Jnana it is a constant attempt
human, as Mahatma Gandhi stated once. to come near and also nearer to truth.
bay now study one more case. It is the He will not take for granted Jainism as he will case of a devoted christian scholar, making an at Christianity-his own Dharma. He can become crititempt in all sincerity at an objective, comparative cal of Jainism. But even his angle of vision of deep study of Jainism to arrive at, not necessarily
Dharma might misguide him, if he were to evalute the best in Jainism but actually at the very essence Jainism by his own concepts which are his own of Jainism.
and foreign to Jainism. This can be understood by
a concrete example, There are so many As he is a men of deep conviction, faith and westerners, who, when they evalute our Indian devotion towards Christanity, his own religion is so Philosphy, feel that it is no philosophy at all. Here very much in his blood that it becomes very difti- the mistake committed is to view Indian Philosocult for his to study and view other religions and phy from their western angle of vision, often with a philosophies impartially, though in our case, the sense of superiority - complex. A thorough grasp scholar is not begotted and does not like any priest of what we call the saptabhangi can save him from of the past, proclaim that christ is the only prophet committing such a mistake. He will have to put on and christianity the only religion: "For him thebasic do his best of put on the vision of varied judgments. question is -- can he become absolutely neutral Perhaps it was schopenhaver who did not commit and objective and study Jainism to draw its picture this mistake when he had these words of admiraas it is ? On one side stands his deep regard for tion about the Upanishadsand faith in his own religion which is interwoven
"The Upanishads are a solace of my life; they as if in his blood inself.
will become a solace of my death." This is no doubt coupled with a deep study of Jainism look upon all the Jivas with the same his own Dharma; he is a christian not just blind and kind and sympathetic consideration, though it conmechanical faith but by conviction, with this he stud- cedes that there are cadres and stages in these. ies Jainism. Can he become open-minded? Can The Jiva that is an insect or an animal today is not he become neutral about that which strikes him as so tomorrow. This will come to the grasp of the stusurprising? Can he become objective ? What can dent by a thorugh grasp of Anekatntavada or pluhe do and how ? He is honest to hisself and keenly ralism in the realm of Reality manyness of Reality. desires to make a study of a religion not of his own. Man avoids extremes when he applies his partial Here it is that the very much prised great doctrine vision. Then it is that the Jaina theory of knowledge of Anekantavada can come to his help, his rescue. dominated by Anekantavada guides his. A humanThis great doctrine and Syadvada with it can pos- istic and liberal outlook is to be cultivated and he sibly guide his way.
will be helped in becomeing objective in his effort
at the right understanding and grasp of Jainism that After a very careful, all-sided and through
is then followed by his comparative study. The study of Jainism and all things associated with it:
Jaina theory of knowledge dominated by after viewing Jainism in practice, he will try to find
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