Anekantavada is a basic principle of Jainism dealing with the fact that reality may be perceived differently from different points of views.

'Ekanta' is one-sidedness. Anekantavada is literally the doctrine of non-onesidedness. Jain philosophy accepts the relativistic view of looking at things from all points of view.

Anekantvada requires us to consider others views or beliefs. One should not reject a view simply because it uses a different perspective. We should to consider the fact there may be truth in other’s views too.

In this world of humanity, there are many religions, doctrines, sects and philosophies. No philosophy should insist that their perspective is the only true one.

References

• Jaina Theory of Multiple Facets of Reality and Truth (Anekantavada), edited by Nagin J. Shah. Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass, 2000.
• Philosophy East & West, vol. 50, no. 3 (July 2000), SPECIAL ISSUE: THE PHILOSOPHY OF JAINISM, Guest Editor: Kim Skoog.
• Sanmatti Prakaran, in Gujarati. Author Acharya Sidddhasen Divakar. Navjeevan Trust, ahmedabad.

External links

• Theory of Anekantavada
• The Indian-Jaina Dialectic of Syadvad in Relation to Probability By P.C. Mahalanobis

Jain philosophical concepts