________________
312
throughout the whole sccial stitcture, toth as to private and public conduct, answer for the highest moral character. Justice, truth, purity, are words meaningful to every Hindu, Sacred to his thought, not only parts of his speech, but essential elements in his daily devotions.
“Thou sbalt not kill, thou shalt not covet, thoa shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not lie,” are commandments with us as with you, ard thou shalt practice virtue, good will, right conduct, not toward men only, but toward all liviny beings, are also parts of our moral code, which no Hindu can forget or depy without bringing down upon him corresponding evils and retribution. Tbese are the straight lines
in which we are instructed and required to walk. If men gicw lane and weak and sometimes fall by the way in India, as in America, we krow the source of that weakness and that failure, and sbould bequeath our conmisseration ard helpful brotherly pity. But this must be said in justice to my people, that the statistics of crime in India, as ascertained by Govery. ment sciutiny, are tut one-fourth in extent of those of England itself.
In concluding this part of my subject, I wil refer you to the fact which with you is familiar, that what is said sometimes of the moral status of the Hindus, which is the outward expression of the moral law
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
