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Jainism
faith which prevailed before the advent of Mahāvīra and which was so vigorously reformed by him”.
8. Lastly, there is the ancient character of the Jaina philosophy--their animistic belief, the absence of the principal constituent elements of the universe, and the inclusion of Dharma (that which helps motion of things) and of Adharma ( means or motive of stopping motion ) in the class of substances along with Jiva (soul), Pudgala (matter), Ākāśa (space) and Kāla (time), the six eternal Dravyas or elements of universe. From a consideration of these facts in Jaina philosophy, Prof. Jacobi concluded that it was evolved in a very early period of the Aryan settlement in India, and said that this explodes once and for ever the error that Jainism is an off-shoot of Buddhism,
It was thus proved beyond cavail that Jainism is quilo an independent and 'exceptionally archaic religious system, which is not only not an off-shoot of Buddhism but is considerably older than latter. • To quote a few of the other numerous authorities:-- Prof. R}ys Davids - The Jainas have been an organised community all through the history of India from before the rise of Iuddhism down to the present time" : 3
1. In one of his lectures he says, “My studies of
Jainism made me re ect the old theory and convi. nced that Jainism is entirely independent of Buddhism. The difference between the two philosophies seems so great that it precludes any idea of common origin”, --Jain Gazette, May, 1914,
p. 169. 2. Buddhist India, 2nd ed., London 1903, p. 318.
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