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CHAPTER - 3 THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
JAIN RELIGION
Seen in the broad universal perspective, Jainism is among the oldest living world religions with a truly magnificent heritage, profound philosophy, all-life inclusive spirituality, knowledgebased scientific temper and remarkable synergy of faith and reason. As such it has had an abiding impact on the ethical orientation of Indian culture and development of its moral dimensions in terms of compassion, tolerance and cooperative interdependence. The calligraphed edition of the Constitution of India carries the portrait of Vardhaman Mahavir in a meditative posture with the tribute that Jainism is another stream of spiritual renaissance which seeks to refine and sublimate man's conduct and emphasizes Ahimsa (nonviolence) as the means to achieve it.
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India, the birth place of Jain religion has, indeed, been home to all the great religions of the world. In addition to Jainism, Hinduism and Buddhism and later Sikhism that had their origin
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A Portrait of Jain Religion
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