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Chapter - I HISTORY OF JAINISM
(From the beginning till today)
Jaina Religion is a living faith and no living faith can remain untouched by the changes of time and place. Whenever we talk about the history of any religion we should understand that we are not talking about a static religion, because no static religion can have a history. Only that religion which has changes and movement can have a history. Those who believe that Jaina faith has remained unaltered since beginning are only living in a world of illusion. In the following discussion on the history of Jaina religion, I would like to discuss the twists and turns that have been a part of the evolutionary process of the Jaina religion right from the distant past to the present day.
Though from the point of view of population statistics of the world there are only six Jainas among one thousand people, still in the history of world religions Jaina religion occupies a distinctive place, because of its significant contribution from the point of view of intellectual liberality, philosophical depth, earnest desire of world solidarity, vast literature and superb art and architecture. Here, we would attempt to see the Jaina tradition in the mirror of history.
ANCIENT ŚRAMANA OR ARHAT TRADITION
Broadly speaking, the religions of the world can be divided into two major branches: Semitic religions and Aryan religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam come in the Semitic category while Parsi, Hindu (Vedic), Buddhist and Jaina religions come in the
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Jainism and its History
