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SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
Lord Mahavira introduced the principle of reconciliation in thought as well as in conduct The doctrine evolved by him not only preserved the principle intellectual agreeability but also gave it a great impetus But in mutual behaviour it has not only been neglected but even discarded
Haribhadrasuri presented atheism as a philosophic system and thus reinforced the reconciliatory approach. Theistic systems had not imagined to see atheism earning such a status in the assembly of philosophical systems We owe this land-marks in the history of philosophical systems to Haribhadra
Upadhyaya Yashovijaya was confronted with the poser Who is a theist and who an atheist? He examined the issue in the wider perspective and found that none is a complete atheist nor a theist Charwaka does not accept the existence of self Hence he is an atheist Now non-relativists do not accept various attributes of things Why are they not included amongst the atheists then? If the non-relativists are theists when they accept attributes, why Charwaka is not included among the theists when he accepts attributes ?
Acharya Aklanka said, 'A self is a self by virtue of its attribute of consciousness Other attributes do not count in its selfhood The self and the non-self also have numerous common attributes'
Masters Siddhasena, Samantabhadra, Akalanka, Haribhadra, Hemchandra etc promoted the comprehensive approach with the result that diverse views merged into the ocean of Jain philosophy
Non-dualism of Vedanta is the sangraha-naya of Jainism, Materialism of Charwaka is its Vyavahar-naya, Buddhistic theory of modes is the Rijusutra-naya of Jainism The Shabdavraita grammarians is the shabdanaya of Jainism Jainism accepts the truth of all these views with a provison-they are true if they evince a comprehensive attitude with due respitt for different views rather than attempting to thrive at the ster's expense A catholicity is an attitude of truth
