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Multi-dimensional Application of Anekāntavāda
and faiths of others. It is a scientific way of thinking and of seeking to harmonise and reconcile all conflicting viewpoints, it attempts to present a synthetic, synoptic and comprehensive picture of reality. The strength of Anekāntavāda lies in its openness, clarity and impartiality.
Anekānta is the basic principle of complexity of reality and seeks to see things from all possible standpoints in all possible ways and as comprehensively as possible. One who has developed the Anekānta outlook does not dislike other viewpoints. He looks at other viewpoints with understanding and sympathy, just as a father looks at the activities of his son. One who develops the synoptic outlook based on the Anekānta attitude is always guided by objective and rational considerations in evaluating the theories of reality.
Self-contradictory elements can exist in one, the same thing in different capacity. For example, the same man is father to his son, son to his father, husband to his wife and so on. Swami Dayananda Sarasvati was once asked whether he was a wise man or not. He said, in the field of Darśana I am wise but with reference to the practical world I am not wise. In fact positive and negative aspects belong to everything. So many-sided characteristics of substance is the basis of Anekanta. The word ‘many' is not diametrically opposite of 'one' for ‘many' includes 'one'. Every object possesses infinite characteristics and these characteristics are not conceptual but really exist in the object. Anekānta takes into account all possible viewpoints and would not allow a single element given in experience to be rejected as false on the verdict of abstract logic.
Things are dynamic by nature and so their changing quality is spontaneous. Every real is, therefore, the cause of its own change. Existence persistence and cessation are the fundamental characteristics of all that is real.
Anekānta vāda affirms the possibility of diverse attributes in a unitary entity. There is no opposition between unity of being and plurality of aspects. A thing is one and many at the same time a unity and a plurality rolled into one. The Anekānta view presents a theory that every object is a synthesis of the attributes of permanence and
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