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CHAPTER 9
A FEW MODERN INTERPRETATIONS OF
NON-ABSOLUTISM
Dayanand Bhargava
To a great extent, the edifice of Jaina philosophy and epistemology stands on the pillar of non-absolutism and, therefore, it is no wonder that most of the serious modern scholars of Jainism should have contributed solidly towards a better understanding of this theory. The present paper concerns itself with the interpretation of nonabsolutism by these modern scholars showing that there is still scope for further investigation in this field.
Though, the Truth was declared to be supra-logical by the Vedic tradition when the Kathopanişad said: “naisā tarkena matir āpaneyā", and by the Sramaņa tradition when the Ācārāṇga said: “savve sarā niyattamti
ī jattha na vijai". Yet the Vedic tradition accepted logic to be the substitute of a seer and the Sramaņa tradition claimed rationality to be the bed-rock on which the edifice of Jaina philosophy stands. Paradoxical though it may appear, the Truth which transcends logic can be known only through logic. Dr. Satkari Mookerjee in his Preface to the Jaina Philosophy of Non-Absolutism (p. X) rightly remarks: "Indian philosophy does not stand by mysticism, though it culminates in it. But the mysticism is not the result of dogmatic faith. It is reasoned out of logical thought and is rather an overflow”.
In fact, Dr. Mookerjee was the first modern scholar who not only
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