 The origins of anekāntavāda lie in the teachings of Mahāvīra , who used it effectively to show the relativity of truth and reality . Taking a relativistic viewpoint , Mahāvīra is said to have explained the nature of the soul as both permanent , from the point of view of underlying substance , and temporary , from the point of view of its modes and modification . The importance and antiquity of anekāntavāda are also demonstrated by the fact that it formed the subject matter of Astinasti Pravāda , the fourth part of the lost Purva that contained teachings of the Tīrthaṇkaras prior to Mahāvīra . German Indologist Hermann Jacobi believes Mahāvīra effectively employed the dialectics of anekāntavāda to refute the agnosticism of Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta . Sutrakritanga , the second oldest canon of Jainism , contains the first references to syādvāda and saptibhaṅgī . According to Sūtrakritanga , Mahāvīra advised his disciples to use syādvāda to preach his teachings : 
 The origins of anekāntavāda lie in the teachings of Mahāvīra , <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>who</mark></a>used it effectively to show the relativity of truth and reality . Taking a relativistic viewpoint , Mahāvīra is said to <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>have</mark></a> explained the nature of the soul as both permanent , from the point of view of underlying substance , and temporary , from the point of view of its modes and modification . The importance and antiquity of anekāntavāda are also demonstrated by the fact that it formed the subject matter of Astinasti Pravāda , the fourth part of the lost Purva <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a>contained teachings of the Tīrthaṇkaras prior to Mahāvīra . German Indologist Hermann Jacobi <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>believes</mark></a> Mahāvīra effectively employed the dialectics of anekāntavāda to refute the agnosticism of Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta . Sutrakritanga , the second oldest canon of Jainism , <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>contains</mark></a> the first references to syādvāda and saptibhaṅgī . According to Sūtrakritanga , Mahāvīra advised his disciples to use syādvāda to preach his teachings : 
The origins of anekāntavāda lie in the teachings of Mahāvīra , used it effectively to show da relativity of truth and reality . Taking a relativistic viewpoint , Mahāvīra is said to done explained tdanature of the soul as both permanent , from the point of view of underlying substance , and temporary , from thdaoint of view of its modes and modification . The importance and antiquity of anekāntavāda are also demonstrated by the fact that it formed the subject matter of Astinasti Pravāda , the fourth part of thedast Purva contained teachings of the Tīrthaṇkaras prior to Mahāvīra . German Indologist Hermann Jacobi believe Mahāvīra effectively employed the dialectics of anekāntavāda to refute the daosticism of Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta . Sutrakritanga , the second oldest canon of Jainism , contain the first references to syādvāda and saptibhaṅgī . According to Sūtrakritanga , Mahāvīra advised his disciples to use syādvāda to preach his teachings :