Upadhyay Yashovijayji Swadhyay Granth

Author(s): Pradyumnavijay, Jayant Kothari, Kantilal B Shah
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 88

'ADHYATMOPANISATPRAKARANA' - A STUDY O SO
Vedas upholding the different meanings of Mantras would not have any complaint against Anekāntavāda. In this way, Yaśovijaya tries to show all pervasiveness of Anekānta doctrine." He mentions that Materialists' (Carvākas) approval or disapproval of Anekānta is not worth considering because, they are too ignorant about metaphysical problems.
Yasovijaya points out that, both absolute eternalism and absolute non-eternalism, are untenable because of their onesidedness. If Atman is exclusively eternal, the experience of happiness and misery will thereby be rendered impossible. Eternal (nitya) means unchangable. Unless Atman could pass from one state to another, there cannot be experiences of happiness and misery, one after another. Even injury and non-injury, merit and demerit etc., are not possible, if Atman is taken to be absolutely eternal. Similarly if Atman is absolutely non-eternal (anitya), then, merits and demerits, bondage and liberation become meaningless. Absolute non-eternality means an end of the law of retribution which requires personal identity of doer and enjoyer. So, both these views suffer from one-sidedness and the truth is that Atman is neither absolutely real nor absolutely unreal or changing, but real as well unreal, eternal as well as, non-eternal. Atman is eternal, never changing, from the point of view of substance and it is ever changing, non-eternal from the point of view of modifications. Viewed from the transcendental stand-point it is un-chained but viewed from the phenomenal point of view it is chained. It is one from the stand-point of ātmatva, it is many from the point of view of Saṁsāra. This is a proper approach to everything which gives correct picture of reality. This approach is called Anekāntavāda." The peculiarity of this doctrine is that it treats all the different view-points (nayas) impartially like a father.20 It has no special affection towards any single Naya. Ignorant olinis lact, many others criticise it as method of doubt and so on. Really speaking, one who is aspirant of liberation must have not only erudite scholarship of this Jaina śāstra but have firm Faith in it.
The Second Chapter deals with importance of knowledge and consequence of its practical aspect. Mere knowledge of Sastra Cannot lead one to the highest goal. The main aim of Sastra is to give clear idea about reality and to show the path to realise it. But on its own it does not bestow the realization of Atman. Realization is a