Jain Journal 2001 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 49

JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXVI, No. 1 July 2001
approaches to understand the reality give partial but true picture of reality and it is due to their truth-value from certain angle, we should treat other ideologies and faiths with equal regard.
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The virtue of understanding is very much needed in the present day society. Jainism maintains regard for other's thoughts and ideologies from time immemorial. Lord Mahāvīra says, "Those who praise their own ideologies and faiths and blame that of their opponents and thus distort the truth will remain confined to the cycle of birth and death." Jaina saints tried to maintain the harmony in different religious thoughts thus avoiding religious conflicts. Anekänta can solve the problems of conflict in ideologies and faiths. Acarya Hemacandra says: "I bow to all those who have overcome attachment and aversion, which are causes of worldly bondage, be they Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva or Jina."
Lastly I again quote Dr. Ramji Singh, who has nicely explained the importance of Anekanta in the modern context: "Jaina logic of Anekanta is based not on abstract intellectualism but on experience and realism leading to a non-absoluastic attitude of mind. Multiplicity and unity, definability and non-definability which apparently seem to be contradictory characteristics of reality are interpreted to co-exist in the same object from different points of view without any offence to logic. They seem to be contradictory characteristics of reality are interpreted to co-exist in the same object from different points of view without any offence to logic. They seem to be contradictory of each other, simply because one of them is mistaken to be the whole truth. In fact, integrity of truth consists in this very variety of its aspects. without the rational unity of an all comprehensive and ramifying principle. The charge of contradiction against the co-presence of being and non-being in the real is a figment of a priori logic."19
The Doctrine of Karma
The significant achievement of Tirthankara Mahavira's revolution in the spiritual field was the upholding of the concept of Karma in place of the creator God. He says that main is the architect of his own destiny and he can rise only by his own efforts and not by the grace of any external agency. God is devoid of attachment, hence there is no need for him to create this universe, which is beginingless and endless. Every inexplicable event in the life of an individual occurs due to Karmas accumulated in his previous birth. Karma is conceived as something
18. Sütrakṛtanga-sütra. 1.1.2.23.
19. Jaina Perspective in Philosophy and Religion, 223.