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A Harmonious World Order Through Interfaith Dialogue :81
relative, conditional, and limited. Almost all philosophical, ideological, and religious differences and disputes are mainly due to holding partial truth ultimate for the whole truth. Our judgment represents different aspects of a many-sided reality and can claim only partial truth. This view makes Jainism Catholic, broadminded, and tolerant.
Thus, it is evident that the centrality of the problem of ego has been given due recognition by all the religions of Indian origin and they offer the solution to this problem from their respective metaphysical, ontological, and epistemological angles. Each doctrine offers a corresponding spiritual practice also in order to overcome the problem of ego and, consequently, lead to ultimate spiritual experience. The significance of Jaina view lies in the fact that it puts forward a rational view and a sound logic in favour of the manifold nature of reality.
The specific Indian view of the universe and spirituality is reflected in the specific cultural paradigms of Indian view of 'Time'. Time is cyclical and spirituality is reflected in the specific cultural paradigms of Indian temporal awareness. Time is cyclical and totally anti-linear. Some Western thinkers describe it as cosmic return of the archetypal myth. Diametrically opposed to this is the historical concept of time : linear, progressive, irreversible and functioning as a casual chain. Although both the views of time were there in the pre-renaissance period, the latter view had prevailed since the renaissance.
There is also a third concept of time termed as 'spiral'. Although shared by other cultures, it is typically Indian. Time revolves here too, but while making a circle, it does not close the circle at the same point from where it started. The new point of starting a circle is different from the point where it closed. The whole process entails an endeavour to move back and forward in order to rise a little higher. So, here it is not the wheel that is the symbol of time. It is the conch-shell or the hand-drum (Damarū)
