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Anekantavada:
Ahimsa is the origin (root) of Jaina practice. Ahimsa can not be practiced without Anekanta point of view. Violence or non-violence depends upon the attitude of the doer. If outward violence is considered as violence, then nobody is non-violent in this world because there is life everywhere in the world and it is destroyed continuously. Therefore one who is alert, has Ahimsa in his nature and one who is not alert, has himsa in his nature. This analysis is not possible without Anekanta viewpoint. Therefore one who has Anekanta viewpoint is a balanced vision (samyak-drusti) person and one who has balance vision can only be balanced – knowledge (samyakjnani) and balanced character (samyak-cāritra). Thus Jainism gives prime importance to balanced equipoise view (samyag-drusti) That is the base of liberation.
Anekantavada is discussed in saman-suttam from Gathas 660-673. Though it is elaborated with precepts on valid knowledge (PramanaSutra 674-689, precepts on view point (Naya Sutra) Gathas 690713, precepts on Theory of Relativity and seven predictions (Syadvada and saptabhangi Sutra)precepts on reconciliation or synthesis(Samanavaya Sutra) Gathas 722-736 and precepts on installation (Nikesepa Sutra) Gathas 737-744.
Anekantavada is explained with the example of everyday in GathaNo.670
Piu-putta-nattu-bhavvaya-bhaunam egapurisa-sambandho Na ya so egassa piya, tti sesayanam piya hoi
One and the same person assumes the relationship of father, son, grandson, nephew and brother, but he is the father of one whose he is and not of the rest (So is the case with all the things)
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