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In our introductory paragraph, we have also made the very general remark that Bhartṛhari's attitude may be described as 'encyclopedic' and as 'perspectivistic'. It is well-known that the Jainas developed a characteristic approach to Indian philosophy which may also be called 'encyclopedic' and as 'perspectivistic'. It would be difficult to determine to what extent Bhartṛhari was influenced by the Jainas in his perspectivistic attitude, to which extent he followed in this respect other sources such as his own grammatical tradition, and to what extent he followed his personal inclinations and insights. Whereas a more profound reflection on the similarities and contrasts between Bhartṛhari's perspectivism and that of the Jainas must be reserved for a later occasion, it seems admissable to assume that there was at least some reinforcement from early Jaina 'perspectivism' on Bharthari's attitude, and vice versa from Bhartṛhari's attitude on later exponents of the Jaina approach of anekāntavāda such as Mallavādin.32
32
Cf. Halbfass, 1988:268-269, 355, and Frauwallner's introduction to Jambuvijaya's edition of Mallavādin's Dvādaśāranayacakra (Dvādaśāraṁ nayacakram, ed. Jambuvijaya, vol. 1, Bhavnagar 1966).
Jan E.M. Houben, Pune, March 1994 (pre-final version)
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