Accomplishments

Prabudha Jivan - Special Theme: Anekantvada, Syadavada, Nayavada
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Topic: Anekantvada in Jaina Agama (Scriptures) The manifoldness or pluralism of reality, was described by Mahavira in the Sutrakritanga as a vibhajya-vada, a form of method of analysis. . But he developed the vibhajya method in a different line. It will be instructive to collect from the Bhagavati sutra different references to the so-called avyakata questions ( mentioned above ) and to see how Mahavira answered them with his vibhajya method. This will reveal that the vibhajya method received a definite form in the hands of Mahavira and was finally transformed into the anekantavada of the Jainas. The vibhajya method was a generic name for any non-dogmatic and exploratory approach to philosophic and metaphysical questions. It included both analysis and synthesis, differentiation and integration. It is clear from the above that when Mahavira tried to answer the so-called avyakata questions through the vibhajya method, he had analysed the different senses of, and thereby clarified the ambiguity contained in, such predicate-expressions, 'infinite' and 'finite' 'Eternal', 'Non- eternal' and the relevancy of Anekant in Present Era.