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JAIN YOGA
Dr. Felix Valyi
Jainism bas been neg. lected by the West. Only a handful of European scholars have devoted time to the study of the Bources of Jainism and even few now very Americans know the essential fact about Jainism. Ja or bi, W. Schubrig and H. V. Glasenapp, Guerinot F. W. Thomas bave clarified the tradition and the teachings of Mahavira, Buddba who probably was himself a Jain, took the tremendous decision to start his own middle path.
The greatest Indologist of Germany, HEINRICH ZIMMER in bis posthumous work "The Philosophies of India" published by the Panthon Books, in New York in 1951, has proved that Jain Yoga originated in Pre-Aryan India Jainism is the fountain head of Indian thoughts in its Purest Yogio Tradition and Jain Yoga is pre-historic, Beems certain
The spiritual exercises of St. Ignace of Loyola are a sort of Christian Yoga, limited in its scope, is now recognized that the Imitation of Christ." by Thoms Kempis is also a kind of Medioeval Yoga for the training of the Christian Mind. Sufism is equally based on yogic principle, but all these non-Indian manifestations of yoga thoughts and practice never reached the height which Jainism bas achieved long before Patanjali, the eodifier of yoga. There is ample evidence that Jainism represents the purest and strictest form of yoga as self discipline. Lord Mahavira appears to be mainly as a man of iron will, Jain yoga is pure yoga & Mahavira is the greatest example of each training the embodiment of the ideal man, perfect - VOA Vol. II P. 98-103.
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