Book Title: Applied Philosophy of Anekanta
Author(s): Shashiprajna Samni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati Institute

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Page 118
________________ Reality is multifaceted, any absolute assertion about the reality will not cover the aspects simultaneously. In the words of Siddhasena, since a thing has infinite characters, it is comprehended only by the omniscient. But a thing becomes the subject matter of a naya, when it is conceived from one particular standpoint. Therefore to comprehend the true nature of Reality, this doctrine of anekānta sparked a revolution in the thoughts of (363) contemporary philosophical schools prevailing during the period of Mahavira also. Mahavira applied the linguistic tool of 'syat' and tried to perceive and understand each statement with dispassionate outlook and arrived at the conclusion that without taking into consideration the different naya-s (view points of substance, space, time and modes), one cannot arrive at the truth. Ācārya Siddhasena (6th-7th cent. A.D.) has supported absolute unity at the existential level, where there remain no distinction, except pure existence. So Jain logicians don't agree with the statement that relativity is anekānta rather, they believe that relativity is the outcome of anekānta philosophy. Moreover Jain logician denote anekānta with the term, jātyantara'' i.e. it is unique,neither relative nor absolute. Mahāprajña says that the Jains do not see things in black and white only. Their vision is not restricted to true-false, but the third dimension of relativetruth is added to it. Relativity is actually outcome of anekānta. Nayavāda is a significant contribution of the Jain logic and epistemology. It helps to understand the nature of an object in a comprehensive way. It is the basis of the principle of anekānta as already mentioned by Siddhasena Divākara in his work. Māilla Dhavala in his Nayacakra approves the very same statement with addition to an illustration. For example as the essence of all the scriptures is alphabet; samyaktva (Right-world Dhavalā, 15.25.1, ko aneyanto nāma. jaccantarattam; Tattvārtha Bhāśya Vrtti, 5.29; Pramāna Mimāmsā, 1.1.33. Aștasahasri Sutra-46.107. 95

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