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Ch. 10: Keshiswami - Anekant Dialogue
According to tradition, the junior visitor normally starts the conversation by respectfully seeking help from the senior guru in understanding intricate philosophical concepts. The junior asks, and the senior explains. However, Keshiswami did not follow this tradition. Though much more my senior, and from a more ancient tradition, he was the one who started asking questions.
Perhaps he wanted to test my knowledge. Perhaps he wanted to assess the credibility of Mahavir's new movement. May be, by asking selected questions, he wanted to explore the connection between his Parshva tradition and Mahavir's new path. Whatever his motivation, I did not feel that he was challenging me or my faith.
"Parshva preached that a monk must observe four vows, namely, Ahinsa, Satya (being truthful), Achurya (non-stealing) and Parigrahaparimana (minimizing needs and possessions), but Mahavir speaks of five vows, the fifth being celibacy. Why do we have this difference if the final goal is the same?" Keshiswami asked.
I answered, “The philosophical basis of any tradition is wisdom. Knowledge and ethics are the
The philosophical basis of foundations of wisdom. Whereas any tradition is wisdom.
Knowledge and ethics are knowledge is eternal and innate,
the foundations of wisdom. ethical concepts change with time, Whereas knowledge is place, and society. The monks of the
eternal and innate, ethical
concepts change with time, first Tirthankar (Rikhav) were loyal place, and society. and immune to the ethical changes in their society. In Parshva's time also, monks were both loyal and wise (in preserving their ethical standards);
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