Central Philosophy of Jainism Anekanta Vada

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

Page 40

The Jaina Nayas and the Mädhyamika Dialectic
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‘own-nature' is what is non-artificial (un-created) and independent of others"51
Nāgārjuna, thus, carries this point to its logical extrme :
“If the natue or essence (of a thing) does not exist, what is it then that will change ? And if the nature does exist, what again is it that will change ?"52
Consistent with the attitude of the Buddha, who refused to be dragged into the quicksand of philosophic disputations, the Mādhyamika rejects most philosphic positions by exposing their inherent contradictions and anomalies and points out that tattva (truth) is not to be arrived at through such philosophic disputations, for it is only revealed to the prajñā or insight. Similarly consistent with the attitude of Mahāvira, who tried to resolve the philosophic disputations by analyzing various shades of meaning and implications of the concepts involved (see above), the Jainas tried to reconcile between different philosophical schools and showed that the difficulties involved in their ekānta positions resulted from their hidden assumptions and tacitly accepted standpoints.
this
A comment from Siddhasena is particularly illuminating in connection. He observes :53
“All the standpoints (nayas) are right in their own respective spheres-but if they are taken to be refutations, each of the other, then they are wrong. But a man who knows the 'non-one-sided' nature of reality never says that a particular view is absolutely wrong."
It should, however, be noted that Nāgārjuna's position of non-commitment was not always expressed through negation or rejection. On rare occasions, he seems to betray what may be called the Jaina spirit of concession and neutrality. For example, consider: Madhyamika Kārikā, chap. 18, verse 8
"Everything is true; not everything is true; both, everything is true, and not everything is true; or, neither everything is true nor is everything not true. This is the teaching of the Buddha."