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INTRODUCTION
The Jains form a minority community following one of the currently assumed major religions of the world-Jainism. Most of the books on world religions describe it in short or detail and some independent books have also appeared on it. There are many centres in the world of academics where it is taught. It has the tenets of coordinated triad of universal principles in the form of:
(2)
(1) Non-violence + Non-absolutism + Non-possession
Right (Faith + Knowledge + Conduct) (3) Sweating + Self-sufficiency + Sameness Which, on practice in life, lead one to a worriless state. These principles are applauded the world over and are pregnant with solutions of many religious, sectional, national and international problems. It has a motto of increasing pleasures in the world by minimising sufferings through some rational observances.
Jainism could grow and preserve itself due to its (1) scriptures (2) monks (3) temples (4) four-fold order and (5) philanthropic activities. Most of these factors are based on scriptures, which are the sacred books of any religion prescribing the code of moral and spiritual conduct. They form the soul of all the religious traditions and they contain the teachings of ford-builders or their great founders. Accordingly, the Jains have four-fold scriptures: (1) Pre-canons or Pūrvas (or pre-Mahaviran, currently extant and
included in the twelfth primary canon Pūrvas (14 in number) (2) Primary Canons (Angas, 12 in number)
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