The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1677 page)

(12th cent. CE), building on earlier works, especially that of Suntarar (Nampiy
r
rar). Cekkil
r includes an account of Suntarar in his own work, tracing his life from his abode with
iva
to his earthly manifestation, which he undertook, with
iva's permission, in order to marry—provided he worshipped
iva on earth.

 
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(Skt.,
naya
, ‘viewpoints’). In Jain philosophy, the doctrine of viewpoints, sometimes called the doctrine of relative pluralism. This doctrine is a unique instrument of analysis which asserts that all viewpoints are only partial expressions of the truth. No statement can be absolutely true because it is a view arrived at from only one angle or one particular standpoint. When combined with the kindred teaching of
sy
dv
da
, this doctrine results in the distinctive Jain teaching of
anek
ntav
da
, in which Jain philosophers delineate seven
nayas
. The seven possible points of view (
saptabha
g
) are figurative, general, distributive, actual, descriptive, specific, active (see e.g.
Tattv
rthas
tra
1. 31 f.), and they are abstracted from what a thing may be in itself (
pram
a
). These doctrines have helped the Jains avoid extreme and dogmatic views, and have bred an intellectual toleration and a breadth and realism to their thinking which acknowledges a complex and subtle world.