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UNIVERSAL APPLICATION OF DIALOGUE FOR PEACE "Don't miss or misinterpret but verify trueness of what I tell" - Acharya Kundakunda, Samayasar, verse 5
The word 'dialogue' means - talk, discussion, discourse, communication, exchange of ideas, information flow etc. Dialogue is, therefore, the nonviolent way of resolving issues. Exchange of information brings out the different perspectives and facilitates better understanding of other's perspective. Every object is complete in itself and no object is incomplete by itself. However, incomplete knowledge of objects leads to misplaced faith and conduct. For e.g, How far a blind man can walk alone in the land of darkness? He will hit several obstacles. Not to have dialogue is like walking in the land of darkness. Dialogue helps in narrowing down areas of conflicts and promotes peace.
Dr. Jayanti Lal Jain Jayanti49@yahoo.com
Dr. Jayanti Lal Jain is PhD
in Economics from Oklahoma State University and in Jain Philosophy from University of Madras (India) He has over two decades of experience in subjects dealing with Jainism.
He delivers Lectures in Chennai and other parts of
India and abroad.
1. Conflicting properties The Universe consists of matters having conflicting properties. The properties and forms of matters may look alike or completely opposite to one another and yet describe the same substance (Amritchandracharya's commentary on Samayasara, Verse, 247). The logic is to be applied to all the substances in the Universe such as soul, atom, space, time, medium of movement and rest. Reality is thus multifaceted. This is the infallible concept of Jain philosophy used in proving the nature of any substance. Properties are infinite and our understanding of them is very little. In order to reduce divergence in understanding of reality between speakers and listeners, writers and readers etc., dialogues are needed. Consider following illustrations:
a. Conflicting properties of water - such as hot and cold b. The same man may be both father and son depending on relation C. A medicine can cure or kill a person. d. Milk is sweet but when it turns into yogurt, it becomes sour e. Gold is yellow in color but many objects have yellow color.
Yellowness cannot entirely describe what is gold, f. Distance in directions of a city seem conflicting depending on a
person's residence. In such cases, conflicts lead to no where, dialogue solves them all.
2. Necessity of Dialogue Dialogue is necessary due to complexities in understanding. Study of any object/concept requires
a reading or listening to words b questioning where necessary c to think again and again on what has been told/said on the questions
and answers, d remembering and acquiring the ability to communicate correctly and e teaching or preaching the subject to others (Tattavarth sutra, Chapter
9, 25). Words are incapable of describing an object in its entirety. Consider the
14th Biennial JAINA Convention 2007
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PEACE THROUGH DIALOGUE
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