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Śri Rāmānujācarya and Jainism
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nothing but a relative judgement about an object that possesses indefinite qualities or aspects. Hence, the judgment that stands for an object possessing many characteristics is also known as anekāntavāda. (Outline of Jaina Philosophy, p. 118). This doctrine of Anekāntavāda or Syādvāda is explained by all the great Jaina philosophers in the following Sevenfold formula : 1. From a certain point of view or in a certain re
spect, the pot exists. 2. From a certain point of veiw, the pot does not exist.
From a certain point of veiw, the pot exists and
from another point of view, it does not exist. 4. From a certain point of view, the pot is inexpress
ible. 5. From a certain point of view, the pot both exists
and is inexpressible. 6. From a certain point of view, the pot both does not
exist and is inexpressible. 7. From a certain point of view, the pot exists, does
not exist, and is also inexpressible.
((1) Āptamīmāṁsā. 14-21; (2) Syādvādamañjari, pp. 209-212; (3) Pramāṇanayatattvālokālarikāra, IV).
Jainas say that, each philosophical proposition is subjected to this sevenfold formulation in order to avoid the danger of one-sidedness (ekāntavāda). It consists of seven kinds of expression regarding one and the same thing with reference to its particular aspects, one by one, without any inconsistency, by means of affirmation and negation made either separately or together (Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Phi
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