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HERITAGE OF LORD MAHAVIRA :
Does not one single religion, when isolated from the ground of its sister-religions, appear like one isolated petal of a flower, like one isolated note of a melody? Will it not be one-sided in its approach to truth ? Will not its decision be comparable to the opinion of each one of that group of blind men who tried to define the nature of an elephant, standing for the first time in their lives before it? The first who happened to touch its forehead declared the elephant to be a big stone. The second, from the touch of one of its tusks, defined it as a pointed weapon. The third, after touching the trunk, said the elephant was a leather bag. The fourth caught hold of one of the ears and defined the whole animal as a flapping fan. The fifth, after passing his hand over its body, declared it to be a mountain. The sixth who touched one of its legs, said the elephant was a pillar. And the seventh, having caught hold of its tail, described it as a piece of rope. In this manner, each of these men grasped only a part of the nature of the actual thing, which was the elephant. Even so, each one of the various religions on earth seems to allow us the view of but one seperate aspect of Truth Divine. How, then, are we in a position to speak of peculiar merit in. this or that religion ?
As a matter of fact, the individual, whenever acting, acts apparently with one chief end in view. Responding
to its own innate instincts which seek for Criterion of an the satisfaction of its ego, it endeavours. Ideal Religion to act so as to establish or to maintain
for itself themaximum degree of physical happiness possible in this world. In this activity, it
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com