Book Title: Facets of Jain Philosophy Religion and Culture
Author(s): Shreechand Rampuriya, Ashwini Kumar, T M Dak, Anil Dutt Mishra
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati
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376 Anekāntavāda and Syādvāda
(Non-violence is the highest religion). Lord Varddhamāna was the last of these blessed Tirthankaras, who proclaimed:
“Eyante nirvekkhe no sijjahi viviha bhāvagam dabbam,
Tam tahāvā aneymadi bujjhaha siya aneyantam.''
“If one ignores the various other attributes of a substance and sticks to one aspect only, one will never realise the truth of it. Therefore it is necessary to grasp fully well the significance and meaning of Anekānta (logic), as defined by the prefix syād (somehow)”
The Jain conception of Anekānta (manysided viewpoints), in fact, is essential to end the fractions which rise owing to self-conceit of only one-sided knwoledge of a thing or problem. Fraction-men never think in a relative aspect of a question: unfortunately they are swayed by their particular motives and halftruths. This creates a choas in intellectual world and results in different kind of ‘isms'-as we see today rampant in the whole world. On the other hand, the principle of Anekānta teaches us the right method to realise whole truth in its varied aspects and thereby understand the viewpoints of others. We cannot ignore the reality which points out that every living being is self-centered and he is independent to think and act. The peculiarity of Anekānta is that it rationalises the thought and equips it with the spirit of synthesis. Therefore the Anekānta principle of Jain thought offers the key to the hidden realms of truth in various systems of thought and to whole truth of reality: thus it is an unfailable instrument for world peace and world unity. It will create a society of rational me of fraction-men, who having realised the oneness of life in the midst of diversity, will act and serve not only human beings but every living being. Anekānta if practised will turn the Fraction-men into Cosmic-man.
Confluence of Religious Thoughts The Jaina tradition is very instructive in this resepct. We learn from it that some people approached Lord Mahāvira, who was a contemporary of Säkyamuni Gautama and was called Sarvajña (omniscient) Sarvadarsi (Allseeing) Nigantha Nātaputta by the Buddhists, when He was staying on Mt. Vipula at Rājagsha and questioned him on the utility of religious discussion. The purport of the Lord's reply was that they are always welcome in order to realise the whole truth, but the condition is that they should be carried on in a friendly spirit simply to realise the truth of reality. It is indeed bad to strive for the glory of one's religion and try to belittle the religions of others. The Jains have
