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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FOREWORD
The L. D. Institute of Indology has great pleasure in publishing Dr. B. K. Matilal's lectures on Anekantavāda delivered in the L. D. Lecture Series in 1975. He is right in regarding anekāntaväda as the central philosophy of Jainism. Anekāntavāda means 'the doctrine of non-onesidedness', it is a philosophy of synthesis of opposite viewpoints in philosophy. This type of synthesis always presents some problems. Jaina philosophers knew this and to resolve them they developed a philosophic methodology which consists of nayavada (the doctrine of standpoints) and Syādvāda or Saptabhangi (the sevenfold predication). The learned Doctor lucidly explains anekantavāda and its methodology.
He identifies anekantavāda with a subvariety of vibhajyavāda. His elucidation of Buddha's Middle Way as 'exclusive' middle while that of Mahavira's anekānta as 'inclusive' middle is interesting. He demonstrates how anekantavāda resolves the paradox of causality, viz. satkāryavadaasatkāryavāda and vivartavada-kṣaṇabhangavāda. His observations on Jaina nayas in the light of Madhyamika dialectic are really illuminating. He expounds the theory of Dravya, Guna and Paryaya under the section entitled 'Existence and Substance'. While discussing the doctrine of Sevenfold Predication, he clearly points out its similarity and dissimilarity with Sañjaya's fivefold formula, Ajivaka's 'three-termed' doctrine (trairāśika) and the Madhyamika tetralemma (catuskoți). Having given an account of the traditional objections against this doctrine of Sevenfold Predication, he answers the objections and logically defends the Jaina position.
I am grateful to Dr. B. K. Matilal for his lectures which he prepared at our instance. They are published here in book-form. The book is divided into fifteen sections instead of three lectures. I crave the induIgence of the scholars for the delay in printing. I have no doubt that the students, teachers and others interested in Indian philosophy in general and Jaina philosophy in particular will find this book interesting and of genuine help in understanding central philosophy of Jainism.
L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad-380 009.
15, February, 1981
Nagin J. Shah Director