World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 842

anekanta of Jainas has its application to all the fundamental things, sentient as well as non-sentient.50 Vyāsa and Vācaspati Miśra followed the path of anekānta in their commentaries on Pātañjala Yogasūtra 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 prakrti-purusa relation, Vyāsa clearly admits the identity-cum-difference like the Jainas. Purusa is not absolutely different from intellect (i.e. product of prakrti), nor absolutely identical with it. The relation between the two is identity-cum-difference.51 The Mimāmsā school practically admits the anekāntavāda by stating that substance has three characteristics of origination, decay and permanence.52 Kumārīla 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.53 Pārthasārathi Miśra upholds the same position, A thing is real as well as unreal, universal as well as particulars4 Again, the view, that the same eternal word (vāk) manifests itself in the evanescent phases of the vaikhari, the madhyama and the paśyanti is very similar to anekāntavāda.55
Anekānta method has place in all the schools of Vedānta philosophy. Even, śankara the great critic of anekāntavāda, has applied this doctrine in some places. Sankara, while criticising the prakrtikāranavāda of Sankhya, states (like Jainas) that both pravrtti (activity) and nivrtti (inactivity) which are contradictory, can exist in īśvara." The Advaita Vedāntins' view that the same immutable self appears in the changing states of waking, dreaming and dreemless sleep, is basically, anekāntavāda only." Influence of anekāntavāda is found in the latter Vedānta works such as works of Rāmānuja, Bhāskara. Vijñābhiksu, Nimbārka, Srikantha Sivācārya and Vallabha.se
It shows that, anekāntavāda the doctrine of reconciliation is acceptable to all the systems of philosophy. Yaśovijaya, the great 17th century Jaina stalwart, keeping all these views in his mind, makes a beautiful statement that every system of Indian philosophy has accepted this anekāntavāda, which harmonises all the conflicting views, and sees unity in diversity. There is really no reason to reject this doctrine.59
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