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Religious Harmony and Fellowship of Faiths : A Jaina Perspective
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in which all the alien faiths willconjoin each other to form a organic whole without loosing their own independent existence. In other words it believes in a harmonious co-existence or a liberal synthesis in which all the organs have their individual existence, but work for a common goal i.e. the peace of mankind. To eradicate the religious conflicts and violence from the world, some may give a slogan of "one world religion" but it is neither possible nor practicable so fas as the diversities in human thoughts are in existence. In the Niyamasāra it is said that there are different persons, their different activities or karmas and different levels or capacities, so one should not engage himself in hot discussions neither with other sects nor one's own sect.45
Haribhadra remarks that the diversity in the teachings of the Sages is due to the diversity in the levels of their disciples or the diversity in standpoints adopted by the Sages or the diversity in the period of time when they preached, or it is only an apparent diversity. Just as a physician prescribes medicine according to the nature of patient, its illness and the climate, so the case of diversity of religious teachings. So far as diversity in time, place, levels and understanding of disciples is inevitable, variety in religious conflicts is to develop a tolerant outlook and to establish harmony among them.
At last I would like to conclude my paper by quoting a beautiful verse of religious tolerance of Ācārya Amitagati -- Sattveșu maitri guņișu pramodam
Klișteșu jīveșu krpāparatvam/ Mādhyasthyabhāvm viparīta vịttau
Sadā mamātmā vidadhātudeva.“7//
Oh Lord! I should be friendly to all the creatures of world and feel delight in meeting the virtuous people. I should always be helpful to those who are in miserable conditions and tolerant to my opponents.
References : 1. David C.V. The Voice of Humanity, (Manikachand Depot. Ujjain)
p.1.
2.
ekkā manussa Jāi-Gāthā (compiled by Yuvacaraya MahaPrajana, Jaina Vishwa Bharati Sansthan, Ladnun, 1993, 1/26.
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| SR No. | 014010 |
| Book Title | Jainism in a Global Perspective - Collection of Jain papers of 1993 Parliament of World Religions, Chicago |
| 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 |