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The three pillars of Anekanta doctrine are relativity, simultaneous existence of opposites and reconciliation. Anekanta imparts impartiality, non rigidness or openness and collaborative aspects in our thought process.
We have to express our knowledge in words so that it becomes useful to others / listeners or readers. Our expression has serious limitations of the available words and the speed of our speaking words. Hence we cannot express our entire knowledge simultaneously, thereby necessitating the word "Syat" (a little bit / from a perspective and not probably) before every sentence we speak to show that our sentence has other aspects to it also or is relative to our viewpoint. This is the basis of the doctrine of Syadvada (conditional Dialectic) of Jains. Syadvada involves the seven propositions "Saptabhangi" to express our views through a sentence based on one of the seven propositions, namely: is; is not; it is and it is not; indescribable; it is and indescribable; it is not and is indescribable; and finally it is, it is not and is indescribable.
Jain Ethics
Ethico-spiritual conduct in Jainism is based on the inherent desire of the spiritually awakened person to realize one's full potential self realization. The soul thus tries to expunge the disharmony existent between its present and future conditions, and between the potential conviction and actual living.24 It is centered on the doctrine of Ahimsa i.e. the progressive realization of perfect Ahimsa as the ultimate objective of human life which is equivalent to realization of Godhood (paramatma).25 Basis of Jain ethics are:
The right, ought and duty cannot be separated from the GOOD: The criterion of what is right etc. is the greater balance of good over bad (Maximum balance of Ahimsa over Himsa as the rightmaking characteristic).
Acts are logically prior to rules and the rightness of the action is situational: There are rules to decide the rightness of action, yet every action is to be judged on the goodness of the consequences expected to be produced as the vows (vratas) may be inadequate to
Pg.236 | Gandhi & Jainism
