Jaina Perspective in Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Ramjee Singh
Publisher: Parshwanath Shodhpith Varanasi

Page 82

Non-absolutism and Omniscience
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judgement, too is invalid. To be valid, Anekanta must not be absolute but always relative. In short, the doctrine of nonabsolutism is an opposite (theory) or Ekantavāda, onesided exposition irrespective of other view points1. Anekantavada literally means not, one, aside, exposition but many sided exposition taking into account all possible angles of vision regarding any object or idea.
Now, if we consider the above points, we can not say that "the theory of relativity cannot be logically sustained without the hypothesis of an absolute." Thought is not mere distinction but also relation. Everything is possible only in relation to and as distinct from others and the Law of contradiction is the negative aspect of the Law of identity. Under these circumstances, it is not legitimate to hold that the hypothesis of an absolute cannot be logically sustained without the hypothesis of a relative. Absolute to be absolute presupposes a relative somewhere and in some forms, even the relative of its non-existence.
Jaina Logic of Anekanta is based not on abstract intellctualism but on experience and realism leading to a non-absolutistic attitude of mind. Multiplicity and unity, particularity and the Universality, eternality and non-eternality, definability and non-definability etc., which apparently seem to be contradictory characteristics of reality or object, are interpreted to co-exist in the same object from different points of view
1. Kapadia, H. R. (Ed.), Anekānta-jaya-pa tākā of Haribhadra, Vol. I, p. IX (Introduction), Gackawada Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1940.
2. Radhakrishnan, S.: Indian Philosophy, George Allen and Unwin, London, 1929, Vol. 1, pp. 305-306 (Cf. Hanumanta Rao's article on 'Jaina Instrumental Theory of Knowledge', Indian Philosophical Congress, 1926 (Proceedings).
3. Syadvada-Mañjari of Mallisena, (ed.) A. B. Dhruva, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, 1933, V. 25.