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Appendix F
Anekanta
Dr. Nathmal Tatia
1. Introductory
The concept of anekānt occupies a central position in Jaina hilosophy. Although it is not possible exactly to determine the date of its origin, there is no doubt that the ontology of early Jainism was deeply influenced by this principle. Originally an ethical mode of speech, being concerned with what one ought or ought not to speak, it assumed an ontological role in the Ardhamāgadhi Agamas, through three stages of development, viz. vibhajyavāda (the method of answering a question by dividing the issues), nayavāda (the method of defining the framework of reference), and syadvāda (the prefixing of the particle syāt, meaning 'in a certain reference', to a preposition, indicative of its conditional character). The anuyogadvāras (doors of disquisition) also played a vital rolc in this matter. This ontological orientation was further strengthened by Umāsvāti, Siddhasena Divākara and Mallavādin, and the concept was converted into a full-grown dialectic by Samantabhadra with whom the classical period of the doctrine begins. The ontological concept now acquires a logic-in epistemological character, and Jain philosophy is now indentified with anekantavāda (the doctrine of non-absolutism) or syādvāda (the doctrine of conditional statement) or saptabhangi (the dialectic of sevenfold predication). Anekānta as the negation of an absolutistic position or the rejection of a biased or truncated view of things is found in the Buddhist, Yoga and Nyaya schools as well in various contexts. A dispassiopate assessment of the worth of a philosophy from various viewpoints was the objective that the propounders of anekanta set before themselves. And their efforts in that respect were laudable in that they succeeded in preserving some of the most valueable non•Jaina doctrines as well as texts, selected by them for critical comments, which were otherwise ravished from the world by the
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