Book Title: Lessons of Ahimsa and Anekanta for Contemporary Life
Author(s): Tara Sethia
Publisher: California State Polytechnic University Pomona
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Lessons of Ahimsa and Anekānta for Contemporary Life
in three stages viz. pratibhāsika, vyavahārika and pārmărthika. Mahabharata exhorts people by saying, 'Regard all religious faiths with reverence and ponder their teachings but do not surrender your judgement'. Buddhist philosophy of vibhājyavāda and mādhyama-mārga also reflects the tone of anekāna. Buddha himself believed in vibhājyavāda and not in ekāntavāda. He rejected both ‘asti' and 'nāsti' and emphasized that he believed in the middle path. Quran very clearly suggests, 'to you your religion and to me mine'. This is truly the 'live and let live' philosophy of religion.
In conclusion, anekāntavāda is, in fact, a protest against the one-sided, narrow, dogmatic or fanatical approach to the problems of life and reality not only metaphysical but societal and even familial problems of present day life. This approach can significantly reduce the intellectual chaos and help overcome social conflict.
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