Doctrine to Anekantwad and Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

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Doctrine to Anekantwad and Mahatma Gandhi

 

I have a profound faith in the Jain doctrine of Anekantwad. It is the many-sidedness as opposed to one-sidedness. To illustrate this celebrated doctrine we have a well-known story of ‘the elephant and seven blind men’, all of whom described the same creature in seven different ways, and the poet ends by saying ‘they were all true and they were all false’, and we may add ‘God alone is true, no one and nothing else is or can be wholly true.’ Holding this view I can appreciate and defend your attitude, but I can also defend my own. If the world will be influenced by my attitude on the question of temple-entry, not in its own way but in my way, I have no fear about its moral safety. You will be pleased to know that I have an energetic letter from a Maharashtrian, completely defending your position and wholly dissenting from my reply. You must have seen Gurudev splendid letter on the question. It came to me when the ensuing Harijan was filled up. I hope therefore to publish it next week. I believe that he has sent it to me for publication. But you may enquire. If he does not desire publication, I will naturally withhold it, but in that case, please telegraph at once. I hope he is doing well. With love and respects from us all to him. 

 

Reference:

 

Letter to Body Tucker, March 23, 1933