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Multi-dimensional Application of Anekāntavāda
Apart from philosophical speculation Anekanta has practical application also. It is a dogma or a doctrine or system of doctrine maintained by Jaina religious body as true or necessity of belief. It is a postulate or foundation principle of Jaina philosophy. But it has implications for moulding thought and conduct which definitely have impact on environment in the affairs of our globe involving even the lowest of living beings. Perhaps it was for such realisation that Ācārya Siddhansena Divākara (about 5th Cent. AD.) saluted Anekānta in his Prakrit work thus:
जेण विणा लोगस्स वि ववहारो सव्वहा ण णिव्वडइ तस्स भुवणेक्क गुरुणो णमोऽणेगंतवायस्स ।। jeņa viņā logassa vi vavahāro savvahā ņa ņivvadai tassa bhuvanekka guruņo namo anegaritavāyassa //
Sanmati-tarka-prakaraņa - 3/70 The business of the world can not be conducted without Anekānta. Hence I salute Anekantavāda, the only teacher of this world.
From the above statement of the saintly author, it may be deduced that the observance of Anekānta results in some qualities of conduct such as non-violence, truthfulness, limitation of one's wants to the reasonable extent or avoidance of greed. The evil of greed is responsible for violence, exploitation and hurting the feelings. It causes mental atmosphere of discontent. Hence no conduct of the affairs of this world is in a peaceful environment. Our saints had realised this millenniums of years ago. But after about 1500 years, the great philosopher of history, Arnold Toyanbee has reached the same conclusion.
Arnold Toyanbee and Daisaku Ikeda, president of a Japanese International Organisation held discussions on problems facing man during 1971-74 which have been published in Hindi under the title covering about 400 pages and circulated among Indian scholars. This book opens with-paryavaraņa. I quote in Hindi here a few lines which have a hearing on environment and pollution due to man's greed:
इकेदा : मानव एवं प्राकृतिक पर्यावरण में परस्पर आदान-प्रदानपूर्वक सामंजस्यपूर्ण संबंध रहने पर ही मानव जीवन का सृजनात्मक विकास संभव है --- यह संबंध एशो
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