Acharya Mahaprajna
Chapter 5
The Axioms of Anekānta
The Concomitance of One and Many
The philosophical speculations based on the non-absolutistic attitude gradually gained in depth. By the eighth century A.D. Ācārya Haribhadra and Akalañka further widened its scope. Ācārya Haribhadra's Anekāntajayapatākā bears self-evident testimony to this process. The synthetic approach had also an uninterrupted growth. A serious doubt, however, presented itself. The question arose as to whether Jaina philosophy is a mere syncretistic eclectic movement or it had its own original thinking? Some modern scholars also adopt this line of thinking and are convinced that the Jaina thinkers developed their own philosophy by appropriating alien doctrines. Such thought owes its origin to the synthetic approach of the Jains to philosophical problems. A question was raised to Vācaka Umāsvāti that whether the nayas are the proponents of alien philosophies or independent upholders of opposition inspired by diverse opinions? For its solution, he answered that these nayas are neither of the two but they are the different propensities of knowing the infinite attributes of a substance.
You repeatedly say - try to understand me.
When I tried to understand myself I understood the truth in your statement.
Without understanding the self can we understand others?
