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Late Prof. Phanibhushana Adhikari, former head of the depart of philosophy at the Hindu University states more candidly - No other philosophical theory has been so grossly misunderstood as Syādvāda of Jainism. So much so that even Sankarācārya is not free of this fault. He has also done injustice with this theory. Persons with little knowledge can be excused but given the right to say, I would convey that it is unpardonable for this great scholar from India. It appears that he did not care to study the basic scriptures of this religion.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SYĀDVĀDA IN THE FIELD OF PHILOSOPHY
It is generally believed that starting a thousand years before Christ a golden period in the political history of India continued right up to 11th or 12th century. During this period Indian civilization saw an alround progress. Literature, arts, music, and other facets of culture underwent an evolution and development. During this period of rise various philosophies came into existence and developed as also various religions evolved their philosophies. Later, a large number of independent books as well as exegetic works and commentaries were written. This was a period where numerous schools freely criticized each other. Philosophical discourses and debates were commonplace in privacy, in congregations, in courts, and even in jungles. As a consequence of such philosophical debates and polemic thousands and millions of people were proselytized and re-proselytized. So much so that independent religions were formed around philosophical works and numerous sects and sub-sects were formed around independent commentaries of these works. In fact, these schools of thought sprouted from profound contemplation and cognitive efforts directed at nature and its fundamentals including soul, reincarnation, supreme-soul, nature, life, and their mutual relationship.
All these schools of thought are mutually contradicting to such an extant and propagate so many diverse principles that we are perplexed at this extreme diversity of the cultural aggregate we call Indian-ness. Jainism and its sagacious ācāryas have put in a monumental effort of uniting this extreme diversity and creating an atmosphere of tolerance and assimilation among mutually antagonistic schools. This effort was called Syādvāda.
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