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TULSI-PRAJNA
dra, Siddhasen, Akalanka and others. 8 Jainas have won many debates of historical importance on this basis in the past. Many Jain scholars have composed taxts on this topic only. Currently, Tatia, Mukherji, Mehta' apd others have written about its philosophical, ethical, spiritual, social and individual aspects in excellencial figure of speech while Kothary, Mahlanbois, Haldane, Mardia, Munishri Mahendraji, Javeri, G.R. Jain 10 and others have a current scientific approach in their writings exemplifying its validity with respect to current scientific developments and bservations involving relativity and statistics. In accord with them, the tables given in this paper suggest that the theory has a comparable conceptualisation which results in some canonically differing views on many observable facts. However, it has worked wonders in metaphysical phenomena like the relativity theory in physical phenomena. In fact, as Mahatma Gandhi, has extended the applications of non-violence from individual to national and international level the Quantum and relativity theories have extended the application of Jaina Relativism from philosophical to physical phenomena. However, it tries to establish uniformity amidst diversified philosophical views and encourages religious harmony. It is a principle of rational unity. That is why somc call it a super-specialisation induceed by psychic elasticity. 18
Historical Development 7'8
Malvania has guessed that the dream of seeing a variegated coloured bird in the pre-omniscience night is an indication of Mahavira's pluralistic and multi-aspectal sermons the examples of which are traceable in Bhagvati and other canons. It could be supposed to have developed from contemporary reductionistic trends in which description of reality or an issue could be made on the basis of simultaneous correspondence between contradictory attributes by separation or division in parts of an issue. Mahavira tried to resolve many complex philosophical problems of the day by this method. The reductionist method has been later converted into a wider holist method involving a spectal or partial truth of opposites and termed as Anekantavada This represents a harmoniser of human minds and aims at unification of contradictions. Anekanta. vada is a philosophy which is applied through a method termed as Syadvada or Sapibhangi (relativism or seven-folded ness).
The theory of Anekantvada is applied through various predications in respect of an object or knowable. Sthnanga mentions twofold predications of about 16 contradictory pairs.11 Nasadiya Sukta of Rgveda and Mandukyopnishada and other Indian philosophical
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