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Jaina Philosophy and Religion step by step only. There is a great danger of breaking one's leg if one tries to take a big leap. And many have broken their legs in such attempts. A good physician first diagnoses the different diseases of his patients, then prescribes different medicines for them in accordance with their different diseases or the different intensities of one and the same disease, and advises to take different fluid vehicles of medicines and suggests different diets accordingly. Similarly, even the greatly competent physicians in relation to the ailment called worldly existence first determine the intensity of the disease their hearers suffer from and then offer different teachings in accordance with their different qualifications and grades.
In his auto-commentary on the verse in point Acārya Haribhadra says, "The diversity of the teaching of the omniscient Kapila, Sugata (Buddha), etc., is due to the diversity of the type of their pupils or hearers, because those great omniscient sages were the distinguished physicians in relation to the disease called worldly existence."
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The difference that we notice between the philosophical teachings of the great sages is due to the different standpoints they have adopted while propagating their teachings. They have adopted different standpoints keeping in view the different types of their disciples. Thus, the diversity that we find in their teaching is apparent, while in reality their teaching is not diverse or conflicting. As they were the great physicians in relation to the disease called worldly existence, they have propounded and propagated the wholesome teaching which can effectively cure the living beings of the disease of worldly existence.1
1. Yoga philosophy mentions fourfold classification, viz. heya (that which is fit to be abandoned), heyahetu (the cause of what is fit to be abandoned), hana (abandonment or destruction of what is fit to be abandoned) and hanopaya (means of abandoning or destroying what is fit to be abandoned). It is misery (duḥkha) that is fit to be abandoned (heya). Nescience (avidya) is its cause (heyahetu). Complete destruction or removal of misery is the destruction of what is fit to be abandoned (hāna). And the means to the destruction or removal of misery (hānopāya) is knowledge of the distinction between the self and the non-self (vivekakhyāti). According to Buddha, the fourfold classification is duḥkha (misery), duḥkhasamudaya (rise, i.e., cause of misery), duḥkha-nirodha (destruction of misery) and marga (means of destroying misery). The cause of misery is desire or craving (trsna). This sense is intended by the term 'duḥkhasamudaya'. Märga (means) of destroying misery is the destruction of desire. And even the marga (means) by which one can destroy desire can also be regarded as the marga of destroying misery. The Nyaya-Vaiseṣika and the Vedanta
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