Central Philosophy of Jainism Anekanta Vada

Author(s): Bimal Krishna Matilal, Nagin J Shah, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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The Central Philosophy of Jainism
although he was a follower of the middle course. With regard to the doctrine of the four Noble Truths and the impermanence of the five personality aggregates, the Buddha held a definite position.31 In other words, with regard to these questions the Buddha was an ekāntavādin. Similarly, I think the 'dependent origination theory of causality in Buddhism is asserted to refute the evil of both extremes (another illustration of the middle course): sat-kārya (the effect pre-exists) and asatkārya (the effect is newly created).
In fact, one can follow the 'middle' course in either of the two ways. First, I can accept the middle course and reject the two extremes (anta). Thus I merely suggest a third alternative which excludes the other alternatives already suggested. Second, I can accept the middle course without necessarily rejecting the two extremes. In this case, my alternative does not exclude completely the other alternatives. I merely expand myself to embrace the two alternatives while myself remaining in the middle. The first 'middle' way is based upon rejection and exclusion, the second upon acceptance and inclusion. We may call the first
exclusive' middle, and the second the 'inclusive' middle. The Middle Way of the Buddhist was of the first kind. Mahāvira's anekānta-vāda ( the non-onesided ' doctrine) was of the second kind.