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CHAPTER V
The Jaina Philosophy of Identity-in-Difference in which Identity is Co-ordinate with Difference
Our preceding inquiry has been based on the central thesis of our entire present contention, viz., that neither 'identity' or permanence alone, nor difference' or change alone, nor even the preponderance of either over the other, but a synthetic co-ordination of both the basic elements, will lead to a balanced and adequate metaphysical view of reality. In the process of the enquiry, we have been led to formulate an exhaustive classification of all the philosophical views into five major types the fifth one being represented by the Jaina as conforming to the requirements of a balanced and adequate metaphysical approach to the problem of reality. The critics have found fault with this co-ordinate approach of the Jaina thinkers and feel that it inherently involves the fatal error of contradiction which in turn gives rise to a series of other errors.
The Jaina has to vindicate his position against such charges. Such a vindicative effort necessarily presupposes a positive metaphysical position of his own. This position is broadly designated as anekāntavāda or the theory of manifoldness and indeterminateness. This comprehensive theory of manifoldness is an ontology or a theory of reality, as well as an epistemology or a theory of knowlege. The anekānta
