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

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Page 177
________________ vraja'. Application of anekānta in the religious sphere will mean to understand and assimilate view point of all religions, communities, sects, and so forth. Different preceptors of different religions developed, different methods all around the world during different periods of time. But due to pre-conceived misconceptions and mental makeup towards their teachers and their own egos, they compel the followers to believe their 'ism' to be the only as the final and complete truth, which resulted in the unwanted communal enmity between different sects. In this context, it will be pertinent to mention Shri Ram Janmabhūmi and Bābari Masjid conflict which is horrifying illustration of overriding fanaticism. So one perspective alone will not do. Mahāprajña says, all the activities in life and society are built on the bricks of opposing principles. If these opposing bricks were not there, there would be no activity, no civilization. History bears witness to the fact that religious intolerance has been the cause of unlimited cruelty and bloodshed. Every religion teaches to love and no religion teaches to kill and yet thousands of lives were taken in the name of religion over an issue of no rational importance. The reasons which create and develop communal outlook, religious intolerance and narrow mindedness are as follows: (1) Jealousy, (2) Desire for fame (3) So called ideological differences, (4) Difference in perception of behaviour pattern (5) Humiliation or degradation inflicted by some previous sect or person. The theory of anekānta does not advocate unification of all sects by destroying or amalgamating them all but it is an effort to inculcate religious tolerance by understanding the similarities hidden within the seeming external differences. The Sarvadharma Samabhāva is the basic purpose of anekānta, 'Ācārya Mahāprajña. Anekānta: The Third Eye, op.cit., p. 10. 2 Sagarmal Jain. Anekānta ki Jivan Drsti, op.cit., p. 25.. 154

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