ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 107

to use Harvey Cox's words, we find that such a meaning of secularism of more relevant to a society where individual's roots become weak and fragile giving rise to increasing necessity for cultivating respect and tolerance among human beings operating in a rapidly changing world. A closer look would reveal that it is in essence nothing but anekānta.
This exhaustive philosophy is reflected not only in philosophy deliberates or religious catechism, it is reflected in so many facets of our social life. In our judicial system in which lies the core of human dignity in society, the greatest contribution to the cause of justice is the concept of natural justice, which is based on two fundamental principles: (i) No one should be his own judge for his own cause and that a judgement should be unbiased and impartial; (ii) Both sides of the case should be heard and that no one should be condemned unheard. On close analysis both these principles implicitly refer to the attitude of anekānta. If, for example, a judge looks at the problem from one angle he would be labeled as prejudiced and biased or one angle he would be labeled as prejudiced and baised or one holding ekāntika views. Further, if he gives hearing to one party and leaves the other party unheard his approach would be ekāntika again. Thus, ekāntika is the essence of both these principles. A person accused and could be hanged, could be given life sentence and could also be acquitted; this underlines anekānta approach.
Anekānta can be useful in the management of business organisations. A multi-dimensional approach accepts challenges of organization form the perspectives of its various departments. Even for personal management and growth, the anekāntika way of thinking can produce better results by encouraging open objective approach.
Today, medical practitioners have begun to rely on an integrated approach in medicine rather than rigidly adhering to their particular school of medicine. Allopathic practitioners have started to recommend well-tested Ayurvedic medicines which they think are less prone to side-effects. This expresses a synthesis of diverse approaches on the basis of 'complementarity' principle. This again is a reflection of anekāntika attitude.
7 Harvey Cox, The Secular City (New York: Macmillan, 1965), pp. 38-42. 8 T.U. Mehta, "Syādvāda and Judicial process," in Multi-dimensional Application of anekāntavāda. (Varanasi: P.V. Research Institute, 1999), P. 154 9 Hasmukh Savlani, "Personal Management by Anekantavāda," in Multi-dimensional Application of anekantavāda, op. cit., P. 154
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