Anekantvada

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, focusing on the concept of Anekantvada as discussed by Jitendra B. Shah, based on Acharya Haribhadra Suri's Ashtak Prakaran:

The book "Anekantvada" by Jitendra B. Shah explores the fundamental Jain principle of Anekantvada, drawing heavily from Acharya Haribhadra Suri's work, particularly the Ashtak Prakaran.

Anekantvada: The Core of Jain Philosophy Jainism distinguishes itself by accepting that objects possess multiple, and often seemingly contradictory, characteristics. While other philosophies tend to focus on a single, absolute truth (ekantvada), Jainism asserts that reality is multifaceted. This principle is found throughout Jain scriptures, but it was first systematically established by Acharyas like Siddhasena Divakara and Samantabhadra. This period is thus referred to by Jain scholars as the "Age of Anekantvada Establishment." Later Acharyas like Mallavadi and Akalanka further elaborated on its significance. Acharya Haribhadra Suri is also a significant contributor, having authored the "Anekantjayapataka" to champion Anekantvada and refute the one-sided views of other philosophical schools.

Acharya Haribhadra Suri and the Ashtak Prakaran Acharya Haribhadra Suri was a prolific scholar who wrote extensively on both philosophical and religious principles. His unique characteristic was the integration of philosophical discussions even within religious contexts. The Ashtak Prakaran is a concise work where he presents profound thoughts on 32 subjects in simple Sanskrit verse. These subjects encompass aspects of ethics and religious practice, such as the nature of the divine, rituals, charity, knowledge, detachment, asceticism, and the concepts of karma, liberation, and pilgrimage. Haribhadra Suri's aim, as noted by K.K. Dixit, was to address and promote established ethical and religious beliefs of the time, linking them all to the ultimate goal of moksha (liberation).

Philosophical Underpinnings within the Ashtak Prakaran While most of the 32 ashtakas (sections of eight verses) deal with religious practices, three specific ashtakas (numbers 14, 15, and 16) stand out for their direct engagement with philosophical debates. These are:

• Ashtaka refuting Monistic Eternalism (Ekaangi Nityatvaada Khandan Ashtak)
• Ashtaka refuting Monistic Impermanence (Ekaanta Anityatvaada Khandan Ashtak)
• Ashtaka supporting the concept of both Eternal and Impermanent (Nitya-Anityatvaada Samarthan Ashtak)

These ashtakas directly address the age-old philosophical question: Is reality eternal or impermanent? Jainism, through Anekantvada, posits that reality is both eternal and impermanent simultaneously. While this is a purely philosophical concept, Haribhadra Suri ingeniously connects it to the practice of moksha. K.K. Dixit also supports this view, stating that these philosophical discussions indirectly bolster certain ethical and religious beliefs.

The Essence of Anekantvada Explained Anekantvada means that every object possesses infinite qualities. Within a single entity, opposing characteristics like eternal and impermanent, describable and indescribable, general and specific, existent and non-existent, can coexist. In contrast, other philosophies are "ekantvadi," asserting that an object is either absolutely eternal or absolutely impermanent, absolutely existent or absolutely non-existent. For instance, the Naiyayikas and Vaisheshikas view reality as entirely existent and eternal, while the Buddhists consider it momentary. Jainism, however, is neither eternalistic nor annihilistic; it embraces both perspectives through the concept of nayavada (theory of standpoints). From the dravyaarthika nay (substance perspective), an object is eternal, while from the paryaayaarthika nay (mode perspective), it is impermanent. This understanding is crucial for practical life, as famously stated by Acharya Siddhasena: "Salutations, salutations to Anekantvada, the world teacher, without which worldly affairs cannot be conducted at all." Acharya Hemachandra Suri further elaborates that without acknowledging infinite qualities in an object, its existence cannot be established, and clinging to a single viewpoint leads to insurmountable logical problems.

Critique of Monistic Eternalism (Ekaanta Nityatvaada) The 14th ashtaka refutes the concept of absolute eternality held by schools like the Naiyayikas, Vaisheshikas, Samkhyas, and Upanishadic followers. They believe the soul (Atman) is unborn, undying, and unchanging. If the soul is truly unchanging and inactive, then actions like violence, non-violence, agency, experience, birth, and death become impossible. The commentary by Jineshwar Suri highlights the logical dilemmas: if an inactive soul performs actions, does it do so sequentially or simultaneously? If sequentially, is it capable of performing other actions while acting? If incapable, it contradicts its eternal nature. If capable, all actions would occur instantly, making the soul non-existent in subsequent moments. To avoid these paradoxes, the text argues that an unchanging soul cannot logically participate in the cycle of cause and effect, nor can it engage in actions, even with external aid.

This leads to a significant ethical problem: if there is no action, then violence and non-violence cannot occur. Jainism considers non-violence (ahimsa) the supreme vow, with other ethical practices serving as its support. If ahimsa itself is non-existent, then all other religious practices become meaningless. Furthermore, an absolutely eternal soul cannot logically be connected to the physical body, nor can concepts like transmigration and spiritual progress through righteous conduct be justified. The text quotes the Sāṅkhyakārikā to illustrate the point that knowledge leads to liberation, but this is rendered meaningless if the soul is inherently incapable of change or action.

Critique of Monistic Impermanence (Ekaanta Anityatvaada) The 15th ashtaka addresses the Buddhist doctrine of absolute impermanence, where all phenomena, including the soul, are considered momentary. If everything is fleeting, then the destruction of an object is causeless, leading to the same paradoxes as absolute eternalism. For instance, the concept of violence becomes problematic. If an action (like killing) creates a new moment or a new stream of consciousness, then the perpetrator is a killer. However, if moments are purely conceptual and their succession is not causally linked, the idea of a "killer" becomes untenable. The text argues that if every moment is a cause for the next, then everyone would be a "killer," rendering the concept of non-violence meaningless.

Re-establishment of Anekantvada Acharya Haribhadra Suri concludes that the defects present in both absolute eternalism and absolute impermanence are identical. The solution to these philosophical problems lies solely in Anekantvada. By accepting that the soul is partially eternal and partially impermanent, and partially different and partially identical with the body, all logical contradictions are resolved.

This understanding allows for the logical explanation of phenomena like merit and demerit, bondage and liberation, and birth and death. It also validates the concepts of violence and non-violence. In a violent act, for example, there is an agent (the killer) who experiences the suffering of inflicting pain and harbors sinful intentions, and a recipient (the killed) whose body is destroyed. This act is understood as having a cause, influenced by the ripening of the victim's negative karma, with the killer acting as an instrumental cause. Through good counsel, the killer can overcome negative thoughts and cease from violence, leading to merit that results in heavenly or liberated states.

The text emphasizes that this reconciliatory approach, where the soul is simultaneously eternal (in its essence, enabling memory and recognition) and impermanent (in its modes and actions), provides a coherent framework for understanding ethical conduct and spiritual progression. The core aim of the Ashtak Prakaran is to establish this multi-faceted nature of the soul according to Jain philosophy and, through it, to validate the significance of principles like non-violence.