Book Title: Essence of Jainism
Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Page 102
________________ 78 Essence of Jainism eleventh day-Agiaras is very holy; some others might give importance to the vows of the eighth day-astami and the fourteenth' davCaturdasi. Again, some might lav stress on liberal gifts-dana instead of austerities, others might lay stress on austerity. In this manner, the nourishment of different traditional Saṁskāras and the mental atmosphere of difference in likes and dislikes is inevitable. The result is that the difference in external conduct and activity can. not ever be erased. Still, in spite of so many things that cause the rise and nourishment of difference, truth remains the same, it cannot be spite. That is the reason why we find the same truth reveal. ing itself in life as we compare the order and stages of spiritual development, whatever be the way, the íanguage or the form. This is to be found in the experience of all philosphers. Coming to the end, let me refer to two typical traits of Jain philosophy that are universally accepted by all Jains. These are non-extremism-Anekānta and non-violence- Ahimsā. The entire Jain literature is shaped by these two doctrines. The peculiarity of Jain conduct and cult can be revealed only through these two. In reality, truth is only one, but man's vision and grasp fail to adopt it in just one way. Man should therefore widen the sphere of his vision and admit in it all the ways of grasping of truth, This lofty and widened feeling has given birth to the thought-process of nonextremism. The thought-process is not planned to become victorious in argument and counter-argument or to play the puzzles of nets of words or to fight sophistry. It is planned and evolved to develop the power of discrimination and to make man progress in the direction of visioning of truth as a part of life-research. The real meaning therefore of non-extremism is to give proper place to all the sections and parts in the wide circle of the human mind, keeping in view the visioning of truth. Man's limits of vision widen along with the enrichment of his power of discrimination, and he has to fight against the pressures of narrowness and passions in bis Self. Man is not able to adopt the ideology of non-extremism in life till he does not face and fight narrowness and passionate desires. The question therefore of son-violence follows the question of the protection and enrichment Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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