| Doctrines of Jainism | UPSC | Vizag Ias Academy # UPSC 2026 # History

[00:00:00]Hello everyone. Welcome to Vizag IAS Academy history series. Let us see Jainism philosophies.

[00:00:06]Like Buddhism philosophies, in Jainism also different thought process were there. There are three important philosophies, Anekantavada, Syadvada, and one more is Nayavada. And in fact, all three are interconnected, almost say the same thing. And this is very core philosophy of Jainism. All three indicate that no person is 100% correct about any particular type of argument.

[00:00:35]That means Anekantavada means reality has many sides. Suppose if you show a person a glass with half filled, one person may look at that and they may say the that person may say half empty.

[00:00:51]That is also truth.

[00:00:52]Another person may say half filled, that is also true.

[00:00:56]Both are correct. Reality has many sides. It depends on the way people look at it. These are the philosophies which helped Indian tradition to grow without fighting with other type of ideologies.

[00:01:10]And that's what the core ideology of India, the soul of idea, the soul of India itself is allowing multiple perspectives. Since the ancient times, Indians understood diversity. Indians understood that no one is 100% right. Different people have different perspectives. And every perspective is equally valid. That is Anekantavada. And in fact, this is also similar to that only.

[00:01:37]Syadvada, maybe. That is nothing is 100%. When you are saying something that this version also may be correct. This may also be correct.

[00:01:48]No one say that this is 100%. There is nothing beyond that. That is called Syadvada. So, in every type of interactions in the life, people undergo that kind of situation. That is why if someone give one argument Jainism accepts that argument. And similar to that again, Nayavada theory of perspectives, multiple perspectives. Suppose if rain is coming.

[00:02:15]A farmer understand rain in one perspective, a child a different way. Children will see rain in a different perspective and a traveler who is traveling on the road see rain in a different perspective.

[00:02:28]Rain is same, but the perspectives are changing from the point of different categories of people. So again, it is also close to that.

[00:02:39]Simply, different people are there in different conditions, different thought process. Everyone have their own point of view and everything is equally valid.

[00:02:50]And that is the core philosophy of Jainism. Identify the terms.