________________
Theory of Manifold Aspects
are statements. Enlarging this pronouncement of the Acarya, Jinabhadra makes it clear that all the philosophies taken collectively constitute Jainism, Contradiction seems to be existing in the mutually exclusive statements so long as they are not harmonized and integrated with each other. Defective reasoning, fallacious arguments, and logical limits are the basic factors responsible for contradiction found in approaches, attitudes, outlooks and others' pronouncements.
But as there are limitations and defects, there are merits and peculiarities also. It becomes immediately clear that it is one of the viewpoints or forms for envisioning the truth when attention is focussed on a particular merit or characteristic and it plays its own part in a total perception of a thing. So long as the pearls of various kinds and colours lie scattered, our attention is drawn to its individual entity and our conviction goes on becoming stronger about its separateness instead of oneness. But when a necklace is made out of them, they lose their individual existence and become a part and parcel of the necklace. Their collective existence gives rise to a concept of homogeneity, Similarly, as long as the various philosophical systems harp on the same string about their individual claim to truth, they should be branded as false, because they seek satisfaction of having visualized the whole truth where, they might have, as a matter-of-fact, seen a mere partial truth. But they cease to be wrong or false, when each is described in Jain philosophy as a mere kind, a mere viewpoint, a mere part of the total perception, having first given up insistence for a part being the whole. Thus, an edifice of Jaina Philosophy is erected on the foundation of various viewpoints taken together. It is not false or wrong though it is evolved out of viewpoints which are false if taken singly and right if taken collectively. Not only this, but falsity is now filtered out from them which were false before.
135
The rivers coming from different directions merge themselves into one when they all set mixed together in the ocean. Their's is a collective existence now instead of separate one. Similarly, all one-sided statements or assertions lose their individual character when they are expressed through the medium of the Theory of Manifold Aspects In other words, they were called 'false' or 'wrong' when each of them was separate or single but when they were synthesized, their individual existence was no more and remained merely as a part of truth. Thus, then, they cease to be 'wrong' or 'false'. The Theory of Manifold Afpect is just an Elixir giving vitality to the beliefs of others which afterwards appear in new forms. As it takes away the poison of one-sidedness from them, they cease to be wrong and false. They appear to be true.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
