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CHAPTER - 14
ANEKANT (RELATIVITY IN THINKING) The Jain philosophical concept of ANEKANT has vitally enriched the wide-ranging and comprehensive perception of Ahimsa in thought, expression and deed. Anekant is the doctrine of relativity in thinking (Syadvad) that brings about appreciation of the multifaceted nature of truth. Truth is multidimensional with an inbuilt coexistence of opposites- each dimension being as plausible as another. It is with relation to other factors like time, place and context that one dimension gains predominance over another. A person can be a son, father, husband, and uncle at the same time. The truth of his being a father will be relevant to his son only, while that of being a husband only to his wife. Thus, Anekant promotes sympathetic understanding and harmonization of related interpretations of facts, situations and events. Indeed, the modern theory of relativity is based on the same assumptions as the doctrine of Anekant. It rejects any absolutist view of any animate or inanimate substance or situation. Absolutism projects a totally one-sided view, and ignores the fact of existence of any other attributes, facets or realities. Anekant approach makes for a open-minded liberal interpretation of different facets, and opens the door for finding synthesis, arriving at the core truth nature and rejecting the false or distorted versions. Jain religious text Dwatrishatika beautifully portrays the attribute of sybthesis inherent in Anekant, the doctrine of manifold aspects
"Just as many rivers flow into and join the ocean, similarly variety of views can be seen in an integrated perspective in the doctrine of Anekant which provides a total picture of the nature of any substance (vastu swabhava)".
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A Portrait of Jain Religion
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