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person tries to justify whatever he has already accepted, while unprejudiced person accepts what he feel logically justified". Jainism supports 'rational thinking'. Supporting therational outlook in religious matters, Acārya Haribhadra says: "I possess no bias for Bhagwan Mahāvīra and no prejudice against Kapila and other saints and thinkers. Whosoever is rational and logical ought to be accepted". While describing the right faith, Amrtacandra (early 10th century A.D.) condemns three types of idols, namely superstitions relating deities, path and scriptures. Thus when religion tends to be rational there will hardly be any room for intolerance. One who is thoroughly rational in religious matters, certainly would not be rigid and intolerant.
NON-ABSOLUTISM, BASIS OF TOLERANCE
Dogmatism and fanaticism are the born children of absolutism. An extremist or absolutist holds that whatsoever he propounds is correct and what others say is false, while a relativist is of the view that he and his opponent both may be correct, if viewed from two different angles and thus a relativist adopts a tolerant outlook towards other faiths and ideologies. It is the doctrine of 'Anekāntavāda' or non-absolutism of the Jainas on which the concept of religious tolerance is based. For the Jainas nonviolence is the essence of religion from which the concept of nonabsolutism emanates. Absolutism represents 'violence of thought', for, it negates the truth-value of its opponent's view and thus hurts the feeling of others. A non-violent search for truth finds nonabsolutism.
Jaina thinkers are of the view that reality is a complex one. It has many facets, various attributes and various modes. It can be viewed and understood from different angles and thus various
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