________________
342
Sit Lepel Griffin would be glad if the lecturer would enlighten them on the most important questions connected with the subject. He would first observe for the information of those present, who had not been personally connected with the Jains, that they were an exceedingly interesting community, and there was no muore strange or weird sight than that of the stricter Jains, with their faces bound up with white cloths to prevent the possibility of an insect entering into their mouths, and so inadvertently destroying life! and holding little brooms in their hands with which they carefully swept the ground before them, or the seat upon which they were going to sit, in order that they might not tread, or sit, có any living thing. Many of the stricter members of the community lived in monasteries or nunneries, in the most ascetic fashion, eating only food which was the refuse of the meals of others, drinking only dirty water, and performing all sorts of merial offices. He thanked Mr. Gandhi for having directed the attention of English students to the Jain Philosophy and creed, and would ask to be inforined regarding the difference, now somewhat obscure, between the dogmatic teaching of Jainism and Buddhism. To his mind there was amongst the creeds of the world rione so fascinating as Buddhism. it was purely atheistic in the best sense of the world, with an ethical sys. tem, which provided for mankind a future of happiness or misery, according to whether the course of life on earth had
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org