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to the modern period. It is in the philosophical period, that Ācārya Umāsvāti was first to give the implicit definition of anekānta in Tattvārtha Sūtra as arpitānarpitasiddheh', which means when primary qualities of a reality are in focus, the secondary qualities remain in the margin, because we can't express all the characteristics of a particular reality due to the limitation of our language. So an endeavour is made to trace out the history and the development of the theory of anekānta, according to the dates of ācāryas and it is really an interesting depiction of the gradual evolution of the anekantic thought from the āgamic period upto the modern period.
Anekāntavāda is the basic structure of Jain metaphysics. It seeks to re-orient our logical attitude and asks us to accept the unification of contradictions as the true measure of Reality. How permanence, origination and cessation (impermanence) can logically reside in the same subject. Anekānta is the key to unlock the mystery of the paradoxical nature of reality. In the second chapter the metaphysical basis of anekānta and the criterion of functional reality is explained by quoting various points in its favour by different ācāryā-s in their specific time. The triple nature of reality is the heart of Jain metaphysics, which is the very foundation of Jain philosophy. The entire edifice of Jain theory of anekānta is based upon the Jain Metaphysics. So the triple characteristics (origination, cessation and permanence) of a Reality is discussed in detail by quoting logical definitions. In this chapter, the inter-relation of tripadi is being dealt with various examples cited by the ācaryā-s of philosophical age and other ācāryā-s from time to time. All the Jain ācaryā-s unanimously assert that permanent-cum-transitory nature of a Reality has a capacity of causal efficiency in three periods of time zone. Without understanding the anekānta in tripadi, we cannot get to the heart of Jaina philosophy. Moreover the brief explanation of the application of anekānta in
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