Mahavira Smruti Granth Part 01

SR No.: 010530
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kamtaprasad Jain, Others
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Society Agra
Total Pages: 363
Language: Hindi
Classification: Smruti_Granth
File Size: 9 MB

Page 287

R. N. SHAH
282
To consider Jains as 'Hindu Dissenters' is entirely untrue. So also the following remarks of Sir D. F. Mulla about the History of Jains and their tedets are equally wrong and baseless " Jainism seems to have been originated in the sixth or seventh century, to have become conspicuous in the cighth or ninth century; got the highest prosperity in the eleventh and declined after the twelfth " This is entirely based on the fourth hand information derived from the out of date hsstory of Elphinstone or from some Interested Bralimin Pandits. This has been proyed false by tbe recent modern researches and historical works of Eastern and Western Scholars like T.W. Rhys Davis, Dr. J Buhler, J G. R. Furlong (Vide Encyclopaedia of Religions and Ethics Volume VII, page 465 and Volume II page 70 ) and also the works of Jain authors such as Shri Champat Raiji Jain, Bar-at-law and Babu Jugamandarlal Jain, Al. A., and of non-Jain Indian Scholars.
Before adducing further evidence on this point, I shall first show how Hindu Law is made applicable to Hindus and Jains in the Courts of British India. The Hindu Law as administered by the Court 10 British India is applied to them by statuetes of the Imperial Parliament and also by local legislation When the British Courts came to be established, the Jain Pandits bave neither been consulted nor did the Jainas themselves show sufficient awakening or tabe cognisance of their position to be able to represent their case
During the last ten centuries Jainism had to face the Vedic religion If one throws only a glance at the history, one will find innumerable instances of tyranny and oppression of Hindu and Mohamedan Kings upon the Jains. The terror created during the last one thousand years has not been wiped out of the minds of the Jains who had kept hidden their holy Scriptures in the cellars even in the British period. The natural consequences followed the Courts consulted the Brahmin Pandits and the result was that the Jains, 11stead of being governed by their own 1. o, Jain Law, have been tied to the chariot wheel of Hindu Lay.
The Jains claim a unique position of life, not identical with that of the Hindus. They have, their independent religion, literature, philosophy and culture. The Hindus and the Jajos differ on the creation of universe They have their independent gads and their scriptures too Jains worship gods not with some ulterior motive as the Hindus do Their object of worship 18 to purify the soul and thus to become FATEHT, $87 or God The deities and the gods according to Hinduisń can be pleased by Penance and thus they can grant boons; but according to Jainism the Tirthankaras or the gods are indifferent to the propitiation of their devotees It is purely on such social religious, and cultural grounds and not as, a political expedient that the approach to the subject 18 made here
The writer of this article ja fully aware that the country is fast becoming one and there is no view of creating further barriers by urging separatists