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philosophy in Jaina literature was this that the Jaina scholars in southern India had no one amongst them who had studied these different branches of Vedanta philosophy. And as to the profound Jaina scholars in western India they had no opportunity to study the works containing the discussion of all these branches of Vedanta or Uttara Mimamsa. If these Jaina scholars would have studied the doctrines of Nimbarka, Madhwa and Rāmānuja as that of Sankarācārya they would have certainly referred to these doctrines in their discussion of Nayavada. Looking to the wonderful power of assimilation and synthesis of this doctrine of Anekanta and looking to the historical tendency of the Jaina Acaryas in giving a place to different doctrines in their discussion of Naya, it is not too much to
say that if these Jaina Acaryas would have come across the religions such as Mohamedanism, Christianism and Zorastrianism and would have studied the doctrines of these religions, they would have certainly assimilated and given a place to the doctrines of these religions in their discussion of Naya and thus would have brougt them under the grand synthesis of Anekanta.
INTRODUCTION
Here a question arises as to what place Sanmati and its commentary occupy in the historical development of this doctrine of Anekanta. In the original text of Sanmati, a distinct synthesis of the doctrines of Bauddha, Sankhya, Nyaya and Vaiseṣika is found. But in the commentary written in the 10th century a
1 3.48-51.
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