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individuals. They came into existence during the fourth era of the descending time cycle i.e. Avasarpini. Some of the recent religions came into practice during 2500 years in the fifth era of the said time cycle. Each of them may not be wrong from their individual point of view.
Some believe that the soul is non-permanent and exists only for an instant and a new one replaces it, leaving behind a continuous chain. It is not the same soul.
ĀTMĀ The Self....
Yet another view insists that the soul is only one and permanent without any change, spread all over the cosmos. Whatever is visible all around us is nothing but an illusion (Bhrama)....
What is true from one point of view is open to question from another. Absolute truth cannot be grasped from any particular view point alone. Absolute truth is the sumtotal of all the different-view points (more than one point of view).
The syadvada with its "Sapta Bhang" or seven prepositions of modes of expressions each dealing with a particular aspect of a thing under consideration, yields Complete truth regarding that thing. These modes are interrelated and each presupposes the other, each implies the other.
For an illustration, a man is a Son from his father's point of view, a Father from his son's point of view a Brother from his sister's point of view and a Husband from his wife's point of view.
Relativity is the art of creative thinking. It is an honest effort to look at truth in its proper perspective. The art of choosing right angles at right time and right place and while doing so a Jaina does not neglect other angles, but accepts them passively in their due importance, making them truth of subsidiary importance. Jainism says that relativity is mental non-violence.
Syādvāda if properly understood reveals the true nature of a thing. The Syādvāda is an unprecedented gift of the Jaina Religion to the world. It can play the supreme role of bringing harmony among conflicting ideologies and thereby universal brotherhood will shine forth to the fullest extent.
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