Gems of Jainism

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

Page 53

44
Gems of Jainism
Thus we find that in Anékāntavāda and Sayādavāda Jains bring a solution to the age old controversy between the Absolutism and Nihilism or between the one and the many or the real and the unreal. The theory of non-absolutism, which is the foundation of Jain Philosophy, holds that every proposition or assertion could be true, but only under certain condition hypothetically, it thus suggests that every proposition or assertion could be false, under certain other conditions. This apparently leads us to a contradiction when we think with reference to the concept of omniscience or Sarvajnatā Sarvajnatā or omniscience is the complete or perfect knowledge, knowledge of all (Sarva) the modes or attributes. Dr. Ramji Singh in his thesis on "The Jain concept of Omniscience“ observes that, "the jain theory of relativism does not go against the Jain theory of Omniscience”.18
What is of utmost importance to us and a worth noting point is the fact that inspite of the great value of the theory of Anékāntavāda and Syavada, the Jainas have not ended or wounded up all with it. Truth, as a truth, must be in its totality a whole truth. And it is here that we find a vital difference between the Syadavada and Sarvajnata. Inspite of both revealing the truth. “In the case of Keval Jnāna”, the knowledge is similtaneous". The Omniscience knowledge“ is regarded assimultaneous rather than successive”. Again we find that the immediate result of the absolute knowledge (Kevalajnāna) is bliss and equanimity (sukha, upéksā), while that of practical knowledge (i.e.Syādvāda) is the facility to select or reject what is conducive or not, to self realisation”.21 One more difference, between the two, though not a major one, is that one depends on sense perception the other i.e. Kevala Jnāna, "arises only after distraction of obstructions."22 Such knowledge is directly acquired by the soul, without the intervention of sense or signs. But then the most fundamental difference as Dr. Ramji Singh tells us, is that Syādavāda“ leads us to relative and partial truth whereas omniscience to absolute truth.” In short, to sum up, we can say that "while Syādavāda illumines the reality indirectly, the kevalajnana does it directly, "2+ besides one reveals the partial truth while the other reveals the whole truth.