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Is Buddhism A Religion
139
It can not be disputed that what is known as Hinduism is nothing but a history of a thought process which has resulted in collection of diveragent views. You can choose any of these divergent views and say look, this is Hinduism. The learned author has done this even by pointing out to the practice of the followers which is not consistent with the theoretical aspects of their own religion.
Before leaving I should register my caveat to the following observations of the learned author:
"Jainism has all but disappeared from its one time strongholds and survives only in tiny pockets mainly near its historical birth place in Northern India where it is held to-gether more by clannish loyalties rather than by meaningful religious distinction with the sects of Hinduism." (emphasis supplied).
It is mistaken belief that it has survived "only in tiny pockets near its historical birth place in Northern India." Its birth place was Bihar and it has widely survied in Gujarat and Rajasthan and partly in Northern and central India, Bombay and Maharastra also.
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