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Ganadharavada deals with a positive type of discussion while Nihnavavada deals with negative type of discussion. Ganadhar avāda strengthens the hands of Jaina Āgamas by asserting certain cardinal virtues of the Jaina Religion Nihnavavidā tries to repudiate the principle of Jainism in one way or the other weakening thereby its influence over the people. Discusaions in O. V. are based on the interpretations of certain Védavacanas; those in N. V. are based on the interpretations of the Jaina Agamas, Gañadharas enjey the proud privilege of entering into debate with śramaņa Bhagavāna Mahāvira Himself; Nihnavas enter into controversy with Precept or of one Gaccha or the other Ganadharas entertain honest doubts in their minds from the begining and hence accept the principlas of Tirthankara as soon as they are convinced; Nihnavas, in most cases, do not leave their rigid beliefs in spite of any number of solid arguments advanced by their opponents. Debates of Ganadharars, therefore, seem to have generated for the realisation of trutlı, while those of Nihnavas, are caused out of jealousy, anger. vanity, or infatuation in many cases. Thus, love of truth is at the root of N. V. All the Ganadharas argue with their Celebrated Preceptor frankly with true desire for knowledge, and hence they do not hesitate in accepting the Dikşă ultimately, when all their doubts are dis pelled; Nihnavas on the other hand, deliberately try to hide the truth in order to refute the theory amongst the monks and create disruption in the Gaccha.
Faith in Āgamas is the guiding spirit of Ganadharas scepticism fs the inain charactesistic of Nihnavas. In G V., the debators are non-Jaina persons who are initiated into Jainism at the end; in N. V. the debators not only Jainas but the learned Jaina monks themselves who abandon the Jaina church and try to establish their own School. Logic, pure and simple, brings the debators to the right path in G. V.; physical punishment brings the debators to the right path in many cases in N. V. a
In G. V., the discussions are held on a very high level as they treat philosophical subjects from beginning to end; while
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