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Jaina Perspective in Philosophy and Religion
old man, father, son, grandson, brother, son-in-law etc.? from different standpoints. This is very similar to the Jaina theory of Syadváda or Asti-Nasti-Vada. Even in the Upanişads we have glimpses of how reality reveals itself in different ways at different stages of our knowledge. This distinction of standpoints is a common feature of Vedanta (Sankara ) and Jainism. Śarkara distinguishes ultimate reality from practical reality. Vyavahāra view is useful, essential so far it leads to the realistic view-point. Just as a non-Aryan can not be made to understand except through the medium of his non-Aryan language so the knowledge of the absolute can not be communicated to the ordinary people except through the vyavahara point of view3. But in itself it is in-sufficient. He must rise higher. Kunda-kunda therefore examines every problem from these two points of view in dealing with problems of an empirical life and the real point of view in dealing with supreme reality transcending limitations of the empirical lifes. So to transcend the lower is not to ignore its. Hegel has recognised it; Spinoza? has aceepted it. James has prescribed it; Bergson admitted it; Plato10 affirmed it; Vedas11 and Upanişads19 have proclaimed it; Buddhists 13 and
1. Cakravarti, A. : Introduction to Samaya-sara, p. CLIX. 2. Radhakrishnan, S. : Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, p. 299. 3. Samaya-sära of Kunda-kunda, 1. 8. 4. Cakravarti, A. : Introduction to Samaya-sara, p. CLI, 5. McTaggart : Hegelian Cosmology, II, 292. 6. Ibid, 292. 7. Ethics (Imagination, Reason and Intuition ), Cf. : Vol II,
p. 29. 8. Institutional Religion and Personal Religion. 9. Cf. : Intellect and Intuition. 10. Cf. : Perception and Knowledge. 11. Rg-veda, 10. 129. 1-2. 12. Mundaka Upanişad, 1. 45. 13. Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, IX. 849, X. 592.
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