Gems of Jainism

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Academy of Philosophy

Page 48

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JAIN THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ANEKANTA
Theory of Anékäntävada:
Let us first understand the term literally and then what it means philosophically. The term anékāntavāda consists of three terms: 'anek', 'anta' and 'vada'. The term 'anék' means many, 'anta' means 'aspects' or 'attributes' and 'vada' means 'ism' or 'theory'. In its simple sense, to Jainas, it is a philosophy or a doctrine, it is a theory of manifold aspects. It has been described and translated by modern scholars variously. Prof. S.N. Dasgupta expresses it as 'Relative pluralism' against the 'Extreme absolutism' of Upanishads. Dr. Chandradhar Sharma translates it as "Doctrine of manyness of reality". Dr. Satkari Mookerjee expresses it as philosophy of doctrine of 'non absolutism'. Closely associated to 'anékāntavāda'— Syādavāda which is also expressed as theory of 'Conditional predication' or "theory of relativity of propositions". Since the doctrine of 'anekantavada' is opposed to absolution or monism (ékāntavāda) we would prefer "doctrine of non-absolutism" to convey the meaning of anékäntavāda.
Let us now understand the philosophy or the theory of non absolutism in the Jain theory or reality from its metaphysical point of view. The Jaina approach to ultimate reality can be expressed in two words: Realistic and Relativistic. The universe is full of innumerable material atoms and innumerable individual souls. They