Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 23

Traverses on less trodden path...
The Sāókhya doctrine of evolution of praksti according to which Prakti is neither absolutely eternal nor absolutely changing, but eternalcum-change is in no way different from the Jnana doctrine of parināmini. tyatā. The difference between the two view is that the Sankhya doctrine is applicable only to non-sentient praksti, while the anekānto of Jainas has its application to all the fundamental things, sentient as well as nonsentient.80 Vyāsa and Vacaspati Mišra foilowed the path of anekānta in their commentaries on Patañjala Yogasutra in many places. Both of them admit the eternal-cum-non-eternal nature of the phenomenal world and substance. Even, things are always both general and particular. In respect of prakti-puruşa relation, Vyāsa clearly admits the identity-cumdifference like the Jainas. Puruşa is not absolurely different from intellect (i.e. product of prakrti), nor absolutely identical with it. The relation between the two is identity-cum-difference.81 The Mimāmsā school practically admits the anekantavāda by stating that substance has three characteristics of origination, decay and permanence.52 Kumārila Bhatta, while discussing the part and whole (avayava and avayavi), clearly states that, both are not absolutely different from each other. Their relation is identity-cum-difference.58 Parthasārathi Misra upholds the same position, A thing is real as well as unreal, universal as well as particular.84 Again, the view, that the same eternal word (vak) manifests itself in the evanes. cent phases of the vaikhari, the madhyamā and the paśyanti is very similar to anekantavāda, 58
Anekānta method has place in all the schools of Vedānta pbilosophy. Even, Sankara the great critic of anekāntavādu, has applied this doctrine in some places. Sankara, while criticising the prakstikäranavāda of Sankhya, states (like Jainas) that both pravýtti (activity) and nivștti (in-activity) which are contridictory, can exist in Îśvara. 56 The Advaita Vedāntins' view that the same immutable self appears in the changing states of waking, dreaming and dreemless sleep, is basically, anekāntavāda only.87
50 Sanmatitarka, Introduction, pp. 139-140. 51 Darsan aur Anekāntavāda, p. 28-45. 52 Tasmādvastu trayātmakam, Mimāmsa-śloka-vārtika, quoted in Darsan aur Anekāntavāda,
p. 16. 53 Ibid., pp. 55. 54 Sastradīpikā, Pub : Vidya Vikas Press, Kasi, V. S. 1967, pp. 387, 412. 55 Anekāntavāda, p. 187. 56 Brahmasūtra Sārkarabhāşya, Tarkapāda, II-IJ-4, ed. with Gujarati translation, Ft,
K. V. Abhyankar and Dr. J. M. Sukla, Pub : K. V. Abhyankar, Abmedabad, 1958, 57 Anekantavāda, p. 187.