Treat All Views With Equanimity And Respect
Anekant Kumar Jain
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The twenty-fourth Jain tirthankara, Mahavira, presented the theory of `anekant' that encourages interpersonal and communal harmony by promoting tolerance in the community . The same principle can be extended to intellectual, social, religious and other spheres. Anekant ensures peaceful co-existence to all peoples, however diverse their faith or background.Today , everyone across the world is troubled by the growing intolerance between people and even countries.India has a long tradition of tolerance.Mahavira's philosophy of `anekantvada' refers to the importance of giving room for multiple viewpoints. In its most basic form, anekant means that there are multiple perceptions of truth, and that no single point of view can be considered absolutely right. This approach is quite different from dogmatic religions that insist: `My way or the high way .' At the core of anekantvada is the belief that the universe and everything in it, that is the objects of our perception, are infinite in their qualities. Whereas human perception is finite, and what's more, each human's perceptions are different based on the filter through which they see the world.
No two people are identical, and naturally it follows that there are as many different perceptions of the world as there are people! Thus, it is impossible for one individual to completely grasp all aspects and manifestations of the universe and truth. Statements like, `Only my religionsect is right and others are totally wrong,' are creating wars.`Other may be right' typeof-thinking can increase the tolerance quotient.
Anekant means belief in peaceful co-existence in both practical and philosophical ways. When you say `you or me' instead of `you and me' the trouble starts.The sanctity of religion has been destroyed by this view. “Only those have the right to survive who follow my religion, all the rest should be extirpated.“
The dictionary meaning of `tolerance' exposes the negative aspect of acceptance in a dominant manner. If tolerance is taken to mean `ability or capacity to tolerate', it will point to toleration out of compulsion, out of helplessness or out of dire need of survival. It may even indicate the attitude of treating the other person with condemnation or the attitude of a superiority complex and treating the other as inferior, as for example powerful nations tolerating weak, underdeveloped countries.
Hence, true anekantvada is that which treats all other views, including itself, with equanimity . By doing so, the concept of anekantvada demands surrender of undue pride in one's own existence and supremacy and developing humility and respect towards other perspectives. In situations of communal disturbances and religious tensions, approaching the problem in a spirit of anekantvada can help to solve these battles.
All religions are different pathways to the same goal, and no religion is superior or inferior to another religion. All religious faiths are equally respectable.The theory can be applied to many spheres of life where there are battles arising out of misunderstanding. And it can be well understood that it is the theory advocating equanimity among and respect towards all possible alternatives, rather than the ability to `tolerate'.
Similarly in a democratic form of government, the doctrine of anekant is very important for both the ruling and opposition parties to accept the existence of each other as real and learn to live with each other in a logical and peaceful manner.
No two people are identical, and naturally it follows that there are as many different perceptions of the world as there are people! Thus, it is impossible for one individual to completely grasp all aspects and manifestations of the universe and truth. Statements like, `Only my religionsect is right and others are totally wrong,' are creating wars.`Other may be right' typeof-thinking can increase the tolerance quotient.
Anekant means belief in peaceful co-existence in both practical and philosophical ways. When you say `you or me' instead of `you and me' the trouble starts.The sanctity of religion has been destroyed by this view. “Only those have the right to survive who follow my religion, all the rest should be extirpated.“
The dictionary meaning of `tolerance' exposes the negative aspect of acceptance in a dominant manner. If tolerance is taken to mean `ability or capacity to tolerate', it will point to toleration out of compulsion, out of helplessness or out of dire need of survival. It may even indicate the attitude of treating the other person with condemnation or the attitude of a superiority complex and treating the other as inferior, as for example powerful nations tolerating weak, underdeveloped countries.
Hence, true anekantvada is that which treats all other views, including itself, with equanimity . By doing so, the concept of anekantvada demands surrender of undue pride in one's own existence and supremacy and developing humility and respect towards other perspectives. In situations of communal disturbances and religious tensions, approaching the problem in a spirit of anekantvada can help to solve these battles.
All religions are different pathways to the same goal, and no religion is superior or inferior to another religion. All religious faiths are equally respectable.The theory can be applied to many spheres of life where there are battles arising out of misunderstanding. And it can be well understood that it is the theory advocating equanimity among and respect towards all possible alternatives, rather than the ability to `tolerate'.
Similarly in a democratic form of government, the doctrine of anekant is very important for both the ruling and opposition parties to accept the existence of each other as real and learn to live with each other in a logical and peaceful manner.
