Multidimensional Application of Anekantavada

SR No.: 014009
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain, Shreeprakash Pandey, Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 552
Language: English, Hindi
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 9 MB

Page 274

Indian Philosophical School and Anekāntavāda
211
1. Sāṁkhya is Sad ekānta. 2. Śūnyavāda is Abheda-ekānta. 3. Vaiśeśika is Sadasad-ekānta. 4. Buddhism is Avaktavya-ekänta.
To these four original bhangas, Akalanka and Vidyānanda have added the following three bhangas also on their comments on the relevant verses of the Āptamīmānsão : -
5. Advaita Vedānta is Sad-avaktavya-ekänta 6. Apohavāda of Buddhism is asad-avaktavya-ekānta 7. Yoga theory of padārtha is sadasad avaktavya Ekānta.
In this way the theory of saptabharigīnaya has been illustrated by the various darśanas or the various darśanas have been tested and verified over the ground of saptabhangīnaya. All of them are Ekanta and are true as they presuppose Anekānta. Every true Ekānta thus presupposes Anekānta, which is therefore, not the enclosures monopoly of Jainism.
Further more it is significant to note that Anekānta has provided a disjunctive synthesis of all the systems of philosophy. For example if a,b,c,d, and 'e' represents five Darśanas then their disjunctive synthesis may be represented as (A) S= avbvcvdv. If the number of darśanas is more than five, or say, indefinite or infinite, then A can yield the following formulation.
(A2) S = a v bcv dve v...... V. But as the Jaina philosophers have promoted the concept of Saddarśana and attempted to bring all systems of philosophy under the rubric Saļdarśana, their disjunctive synthesis takes the final form as -
(A3) S+ a, y d? vd? va“ vd vd where d stands for a darśana, Here even though Jaina darśana is taken one of the a 's' there is no harm to their concept of Anekānta. In this way Jainism has projected its Nayavāda as comprehending all the intentionalties of thought. (Sarvabhiprayasangrähikah nayaḥ) Anekānta is incomplete without Nayavāda. In fact Nayavāda is the ratio cognoscendi of anekānta and Anekanta is the ratio essendi of Nayavāda.
At this juncture a specific illustration of Nayavāda will not be out of order as it may give a concrete illustration of the operational use