Jainism in a Global Perspective - Collection of Jain papers of 1993 Parliament of World Religions, Chicago

SR No.: 014010
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain, Shreeprakash Pandey
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1998
Total Pages: 402
Language: English
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 23 MB

Page 159

130
Jainism in a Global Perspective
maintain that the right faith should be followed by right knowledge. The faith followed by right knowledge or truthful reason cannot be blind one. According to Jaina thinkers, reason and faith are complementary and actually there is no contention between the two. Faith without reason, as the Jaina thinkers aver, is blind and reason without faith is unsteady or vacillating. They hold that the religious codes and rituals should be critically analysed's. In the Uttarādhyayana-Sutra, Gautam, the chief disciple of Mahāvīra, strongly supports this view before Kesi, the pontiff of the church of Jina Pārsva. He said : "the difference in the Law must be critically evaluated through the faculty of reasoning. It is the reason which can ascertain the truth of Law"16.
If one maintains that religion has to be solely based on faith and there is no place for reason in it, then he will unfailingly develop an outlook that only his prophet, religion and scripturs are true and other's prophets, religions and scriptures are false. He will also firmly believe that his prophet is only savior of mankind; his mode of worship is the only way of experiencing the bliss and the laws or commands of his scripture are the only rightones and thus he remains unable to make critical estimate of his religious prescriptions. While one who maintains that reason also plays an important role in the religious life, will critically evaluate the pros and cons of religious prescriptions, rituals and dogmas. An "attached" or biased person believes in the dictum 'Mine is true', while the "detached" or unbiased person believes in the dictum 'Truth is mine.
Gunaratnasari (early 15th cent. A.D.) in his commentary on the $addarśanasamuccaya of Haribhadrasūri (c. 3rd quarter of the 8th cent.
A.D.) has quoted a verse, which explains: "a biased person tries to justify whatever he has already accepted, while unprejudiced person accepts what he feels logically justified". Jainism supports 'rational thinking'. Supporting the rational outlook in religious matters Ācārya Haribhadra syas : "I possess no bias for Lord Mahāvira and no prejudice against Kapila and other saints and thinkers. Whosoever is rational and logical vught to be accepted!?". While describing the right faith Amrtacandra (c. early 10th cent. A.D.) condemns three types of idols namely superstitions relating deities, path and scriptures. Thus when religion tends to be rational there will hardly by any room for intolerance. One who is thoroughly rational in religious matters, certainly would not be rigid and