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Are Jainas Hindus ?
K. B. Jindal
In his Discovery of India', Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru stated that Hinduism embraces all religions born in India. I am afraid this broad proposition may not be acceptable to Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists and Jainas. In his illuminating judgment in the case of Commissioner of Wealth Tax Vs. Champa Kumari Singhi (1968. 67 ITR 561) Banerjee J. stated :
"It is true that Hindu religion is marvellously catholic and elastic.
Its theology is marked by eclecticism and tolerance and almost unlimited freedom of private worship. But, nevertheless, Hinduism does not include in its fold Hindu converts to Christianity and Mohammadanism and also dissenters from Hinduism, who formed themselves into distinct communities or sects with peculiar religion and useges, so different from the principles of the Sastras that they cannot but be regarded as being outside Hinduism. The Jainas rejected the authority of the Vedas, which forms the bedrock of Hinduism and denied the efficacy of various ceremonies which the Hindus consider essential. It will require too much of boldness to hold that the Jainas, dissenters from Hinduism, are Hindus, even though they disown the authority of the Vedas."
Apart from the differentia pointed out by Banerjee J., which distinguish the Jainas from the Hindus, I may add the following:
1.
Jainas repudiate the theory of God as the first cause or the architect of the universe. Although the Jainas do not admit an Iš vara who is the world creator, they do admit a perfect human being who is the best teacher, i.e., the Tirthankara.
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