Peace Through Dialog 2007 - Dr. Jayanti Lal Jain : Universal Application Of Dialogue For Peace

JAINA Convention 2007

Federation of Jain Associations In North America

Universal Application Of Dialogue For Peace

Dr. Jayanti Lal Jain Dr. Jayanti Lal Jain is PhD in Economics from Oklahoma State University and in Jain Philosophy from University of Madras (India). He has over two decades of experience in subjects dealing with Jainism. He delivers Lectures in Chennai and other parts of India and abroad.

"Don't miss or misinterpret but verify trueness of what I tell" - Acharya Kundakunda, Samayasar, verse 5.

The word 'dialogue' means - talk, discussion, discourse, communication, exchange of ideas, information flow etc. Dialogue is, therefore, the non­violent way of resolving issues. Exchange of information brings out the different perspectives and facilitates better understanding of other's perspective. Every object is complete in itself and no object is incomplete by itself. However, incomplete knowledge of objects leads to misplaced faith and conduct. For e.g, How far a blind man can walk alone in the land of darkness? He will hit several obstacles. Not to have dialogue is like walking in the land of darkness. Dialogue helps in narrowing down areas of conflicts and promotes peace.

1. Conflicting properties

The Universe consists of matters having conflicting properties. The properties and forms of matters may look alike or completely opposite to one another and yet describe the same substance (Amritchandracharyo's commentary on Samayasara, Verse, 247). The logic is to be applied to all the substances in the Universe such as soul, atom, space, time, medium of movement and rest. Reality is thus multifaceted. This is the infallible concept of Jain philosophy used in proving the nature of any substance. Properties are infinite and our understanding of them is very little. In order to reduce divergence in understanding of reality between speakers and listeners, writers and readers etc., dialogues are needed. Consider following illustrations:

1. Conflicting properties of water - such as hot and cold.
2. The same man may be both father and son depending on relation.
3. A medicine can cure or kill a person.
4. Milk is sweet but when it turns into yogurt, it becomes sour.
5. Gold is yellow in color but many objects have yellow color. Yellowness cannot entirely describe what is gold.
6. Distance in directions of a city seem conflicting depending on a person's residence. In such cases, conflicts lead to no where, dialogue solves them all.

2. Necessity of Dialogue

Dialogue is necessary due to complexities in understanding. Study of any object/concept requires

1. reading or listening to words
2. questioning where necessary
3. to think again and again on what has been told/said on the questions and answers,
4. remembering and acquiring the ability to communicate correctly and
5. teaching or preaching the subject to others (Tattavarth sutra, Chapter 9, 25).

Words are incapable of describing an object in its entirety. Consider the following ten processes which are needed for complete understanding of an object:

1. The knower first attempts to describe an object partially and conveys the nature of a matter partially through words to the listener.
2. The listener converts the words into his ideas/images about the matter and grasps separate meanings of different words and in parts.
3. If someone is to read the description of an object in words and attempts to draw a picture, it may not be the same but quitedifferent.
4. If we listen or tell the words only according to one's belief or imagination and refuse to heed the other's point of view, this only leads to biased or partial view contrary to the truth.
5. The listener goes beyond words and converts his understanding of separate parts/properties into an indivisible whole to know the truth. True knowledge is like a mirror, it reflects instantaneously the matter as it is and in its most natural manner.
6. Timeless, inseparable and unchangeable characteristics of a matter are known as properties and the description of such properties represents intrinsic or real point of view.
7. A particular property assumes or displays changeable and momentary characteristics. These are known as forms of the object.
8. Understanding an object with its many properties and forms collectively and as an indivisible whole is known as 'anekantawada' or 'multifaceted reality concept'.
9. Mere idea of the object developed through illustrations or description following the principle of 'anekantawada' is also indirect knowledge.
10. A matter and its knowledge are indivisible and thus complete understanding is required for resolving all conflicts. People adopt conflicting views of these ten processes making dialogue an absolute necessity.

3. Process of Dialogue

Jain scriptures are divided into 12 parts (anga). The 5th part describes Jain principles through a medium of dialogue. Gautam had dialogue with Lord Mahavir and asked 60000 questions which are explained in this part. Dialogue helps in knowing the consequences of our actions of the past, present and future relating to gain or loss, victory or defeat, happiness or unhappiness, life and death, worldly life or moksha etc. In the 10th 'Anga', process of dialogue is dealt with in accordance with the type of questions raised. Among many other things, it says dialogue can take four forms:

1. telling similar events in the stories of great persons
   
2. the structure of universe and its operations
   
3. following of a code of conduct
4. narration of principles involved (Virsenacharya, Dhavala, Book 1, P. 105-107).
   

In the process of dialogue, one has to deal with

1. One-sided or incomplete/partial view of the problem involved
2. the problem of taking sides with any particular point of view
3. views relating to permanent or transient/apparent/empirical nature of the object
4. good or bad consequence of actions.

If these issues are tackled in the process of dialogue, conflicts can be resolved.

4. Universal Application

Dialogue has universal application for all conflicts and is relevant for all fields of life like philosophy, psychology, religion, physics, medicine, chemistry, economics, political science, society, family, wars, terrorism, business deals, negotiations, disputes, individuals and so on. There are different schools of thought in each of these disciplines and there are several examples where conflicts are resolved through dialogue.

1. Once a person appreciates and comprehends the truth through dialogue, none of the philosophy, principles or beliefs or religions would appear to be absolutely false. Every belief has an element of truth provided one goes beyond words and captures the intention of the statement. None has absolutely false beliefs I ike donkey's horns or flowers blossoming in the sky as these do not exist(Acharya Samanta bhadra, Swayambhu Stotra, verse 23). A glass of water does not mean that glass is made of water but it refers to the glass which contains water. Thus, every statement is partially true. The concept of multifaceted reality focuses on the whole truth.
2. There is absolutely no scope for communalism. The conflict seems to exist in words and not in matter. Conflicting properties or forms co­ exist in the matter and the matter cannot be dismantled. A matter cannot be false (partial), its understanding may be false (partial). Thus, it is based on the real nature of the substance itself and not on the policy of compromise or cowardice.
3. 'Little knowledge is a dangerous thing' - a famous proverb applies to all fields of knowledge. Little knowledge often leads to one-sided ness, dogmatism, belligerence, conflict, violence, sins, insistence on a given point of view, imaginary fears, etc. This disturbs peace of individuals and society. Only when people acquire complete knowledge of various facets of a substance, there will be peace, tolerance, friendship, kindness, non-violence, fearlessness etc.
4. In familiar objects such as gold, water, etc., there are no difficulties of comprehension irrespective of words used to describe these. However, when objects are subtle, invisible and difficult to under­ stand, one focuses too much attention on words and does not go beyond them and hence comprehension is lost; e. In terms of implications for religious philosophy, questions such as whether a soul is independent or dependent, one or many, timeless or perish­ able, changes or remains the same over a period of time, etc., will be resolved. For universal application, truth is to be validated by examining whether the dialogue is (i) as per accumulated wisdom of mankind (ii) supported by logic (iii) in line with teachings of great scholars and (iv) based on our own experience.

5. Limitations of Dialogue

Dialogues fail when strong biases persist. For e.g., there were two ants, one living in a sugarcane field and the second in a salt field. Both had dispute about the taste of sugar and decided to have a dialogue. The first ant invited the second ant to the sugarcane field to taste the sugar. The second ant had taken a piece of salt in its mouth before leaving for the sugarcane field. Thus when the second ant tasted sugar it did not find any difference between salt and sugar and defeated the purpose of dialogue. Dialogue should not be for dialogue's sake. It should be taken as seriously as the ones between a patient and doctor or like a student and teacher. Such dialogues only lead to logical conclusion of peace. For e.g., when Indradeva raised certain questions to Gautam about what Mahaveer said, Gautam felt the necessity to have a dialogue with Mahaveer and at the end of this dialogue process became his disciple.

In sum, through use of this omnipotent tool of dialogue, many of our mundane as well as eternal questions of existence and apparent contradictions can be solved. When the seeker of truth, understands fully the dialogue of Arihant, it paves the way for peace, achievement of moksha and ultimate-happiness (Acharya Kundakund, Pravachansar, verse 274-5). In "Samosaran", the conference of Universe, "Arihant" resolves all issues of the Universe for all beings of all times through dialogue.