________________
subtleties in the way of elevating the moral character of its followers.
We see Jainism in the course of its evolution from its ancient sources; while the later system Buddhism we see rising at the bidding of one man in all its formal and logical completeness and consistency. Such mechanical exactness was not to be expected in a system which in all likelihood took its rise before the great systems of Indian philosophy had put on the garb in which we now see them
There is another argument yet. The Jaina system shows a preference for asceti - cism (tapas). Herein it presents a great contrast to early Buddhism. For a preference for ascetism is the sign of undoubted antiquity. By the time of Buddha the ascetic principle must have been greatly weakened in India; otherwise his efforts could never have shaken it. By the time Buddha made his appearance in history, the Jains seem to have formed a powerful
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
