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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
standpoints is non-one-sided view (anekāntadrsti). Hence this is an allcomprehensive view. It grasps a thing as it is, in all its totally.
Just as the blind men cannot have true knowledge of an elephant by touching its legs, ears, tail and trunk respectively, that is, by touching its one limb only, so also one cannot have true and comprehensive knowledge of a thing by grasping its one aspect or character alone. For the true knowledge of the elephant, each blind man should touch all its limbs. Similarly, to know a thing as it is, in its entirety, one should kno possible aspects, should view it from all possible standpoints. A man who looks at a shield, standing on the side of its silvery side, says that the shield is made of silver, while another man who looks at it, standing on the side of its golden side, says that it is made of gold. Their knowledge is partially true, but it is not perfectly true. But one who examines it from both the sides, does have the true and complete knowledge, because he knows that one side of the shield is silvery and its other side is golden. So his statement that it is partly golden and partly silvery is perfectly true. Similarly, knowledge of a thing as it is, in its entirety, gained after taking into account all the possible standpoints, and the statement made strictly in accordance with this knowledge could be regarded as completely true.
One-sided view (ekānta-drsti) can never give us complete truth. It is only non-one-sided, i.e., many-sided view (anekānta-dystı) which takes into account all the possible standpoints, that can give us complete truth. It observes all the possible aspects of a thing, knows all the possible attributes of it from various standpoints. So it clearly, properly and truly grasps a thing as it is because it explores it from different angles, respects and viewpoints. It understands well the viewpoints of other men and tries to make such a synthesis as could never be contradicted. The true function of non-one-sided view is to effect synthesis of different or seeming opposite views, making them consistent with one another from different standpoints. This will give one an idea of its universality, utility and importance. By the divine force of this noble and liberal view, the quarrels and dissensions arising from the conflicting views subside and harmony is achieved in the entire human society. To spread and preach harmony, equality and friendliness is the object of the non-one-sided view. Thus non-one-sided view means synthetic view, and the idea of human equality and harmony is the good result that follows from it. This idea ultimately gives rise to universal friendliness and turns this human world into blissful and welfare world.
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