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comparative soience of religiulis, is belog the only sure and undisputed aspect of it.
Iu this form, it represents the highest form of the Aryan religion, as the original non-Aryan element was reduced only to faint vestiges. The most important feature of Jainism is that it has overcome the Brāhmanic scepticism, which was threatening the very roots of religion as well as the pure formalisu tu whioba the Brāhmanical rites sank at the time just before the reforw of Malāvira. And by means of Mabāvíra's reforms, Jainism, although it did not spread as much as Buddhism, was of much greater importance for India than the latter, protecting the Aryan religions in India against the influences from the West, if not direotly, yet at least indirectly, calling for a reaotion in the different seota.
But the real value of Juinism lies in its inner perfection which appears in the proportionate representations of the religious elements so that none over-runs the other. This is the feature in which all the Indian religions in general, but Jainism ia partioular, differ from the other religions, specially from the Semitio religions among them from the Christian Religion in partioulur. To be better understood, I feel obliged to explain it in plain words:
Every religion consiste mainly of three elements :-viz 1. the Sentimental element. 2. The Intellectual element and 3. The Practical element. In most of the religions, the practical element which appears in the shape of rites and ceremonies, overgrows the whole religion in such a way, that the other elements become an only subordinate addition, the sentimental element being still a favorite. The oultivation of the intellectual element is the special feature of the Aryan religions. But only in Jainism, all these elements are well-balanced; whilst in the old Brāhmanism, and in Buddhism, the cultivation of the intellectual element is often exaggerated.
In order to fix the position of Jainism in relation to the other religions, we must look now a little into the inside of Jainism. d it is not possible to explain in a short leoture, the
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| SR No. | 008001 |
| Book Title | Shraman Bhagvana Mahavira Part 1 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Ratnaprabhvijay, D P Thaker |
| Publisher | Parimal Publication |
| Publication Year | 1989 |
| Total Pages | 650 |
| Language | English, Sanskrit |
| Classification | Book_English, Biography, History, & Religion |
| File Size | 15 MB |