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JAIN JOURNAL
his opponents as totally false. We must accept that the views of our opponents may also be true from some other angles. Jaina theory of anekāntavāda emphasises that all the apporaches to understand the reality give partial but true picture of reality and due to their truth-value from certain angle, we should have a regard for others ideologics and faiths. Thus anekānatavāda forbids us to be dogmatic and one-sided in our approach. It preachs us a broader outlook and openmindedness, which is more essential to solve the conflicts due to the differences in ideologics and faiths. Prof. T. G. Kalghatgi rightly observes “The spirit of anekānta is very much necessary in society, specially in the present day, when conflicting ideologics are trying to assert supremacy aggressively. Anekānta brings the spirit of intellectual and social tolerance."14
For present day society what is awfully needed is the virtue of tolerance. This virtue of tolerance i.e. regard for others ideologics and faiths is maintained in Jainism from its earlier times to the present days. Mahavira mentions in Sūtrakstānga "those who praise their own faiths and ideologics and blame that of their opponents and thus distort the truth will remain confined to the cycle of birth and death."15 Jaina philosophers all the time maintain that all the view-points are true in respect of what they have themselves to say, but they are false in so far as they refute totally other's view-points. In one famous Jaina text of 3rd century B.C., namely Isibhāsiyāim, the views of different teachers of Sramanic and Brahmanic trends like Narada, Bharadvaja, Gautam Buddha, Mankhali Gosala and many others, have been presented with regards. They are called as Arhat Rsis and their preachings are regarded as Agamas. Here I would like to quote two beautiful verses of Haribhadra (8th century A.C.) and Hemacandra (12th Century A.C.) respectively which are the best examples of religious tolerance. Haribhadra says:
"I bear no bias towards Lord Mahavira and no disregard to Kapila and other saints and thinkers, whatsoever is rational and logical ought to be accepted.”
Hemacandra says:
"I bow all those who have overcome the attachment and hatred, which are the cause of worldly existence, be they Brahmā, Visnu, Siva or Jina."
14 Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin, No. 4. p. 31. 15 Sutrakrtanga, 1/1/2/23.
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