________________
18
Jainism As Metaphilosophy
comprehension of the non-conscious aspects of Reality. This may be a starting point of philosophic enquiry itself which has to culminate in achieving a state of being which would bring with it a wholesome feeling of having found the true nature of oncself.
In this sense, reflecting about Reality does not connote a cold, analytical consideration of it but a more involved approach. As this involvement is of man's whole being and not merely his intellectual aspect, the comprehension of Reality resulting from it can be expected to bring with it a whole new outlook on life and things and also a transformed personality
Considered in this light, the complexity of the Real - whether looked al from the outside or from the inside - is all too cvident. Also, since both the outer (understood as the 'universe around') and thc inner (interpreted as the “human universe' proper) aspects of Reality are themselves subjected to further analyses and yield a varied and manifold picture, dogmatising on the validity or correctness of any one view of Reality or any specific approach to Reality (as against all others) would seem to need a critical cvaluation.
The subject matter of philosophy being thus considered to be the whole of Reality, - neither the objective aspects alone nor the subjective aspects merely, but both together considered as aspects of a locality - the scope of philosophy is indeed very vast. Every altempt to understand Reality would be valuable and they may all be looked upon as offering creative possibilities of comprehension. Read along with the idea that understanding Reality is not merely a cognitive effort at mental comprehension but a whole new attempt at gculing to know it in all its aspects, the rich scope offered by the varied attempts at philorophising is abundantly clear. Consequently, the methods adopted in the process of philosophising can also be expected to be various and effective in revealing the varicgated nature of Rcality.
HP Methods of Philosophy The consideration of the subject-matter and scope of philosophy in the previous section has indicated that the complex nature of Reality and the vast scope for philosophic discussion it offers are highly suggestive of various methods that need to be employed in the process.
If, in philosophy, knowledge of the whole of Reality is what counts
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
