Jain Journal 2006 10 No 04

SR No.: 520264
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 36
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 15

Sagarmal Jain: Human Solidarity And Jainism
Historically we also find that various deities of other sects are adopted in Jainism and worshpped by the Jainas. Ācārya Somadeva in his work Yasastilakcampu remarks that where there is no distortion from right faith and accepted vows, one should follow the traditions prevailing in the country.23 Thus Jaina thinkers advocated religious tolerance, which is a necessary condition for national integration and solidarity.
Meaning of Unity in Jainism :
The Jaina philosophers firinly believe the concept of integration of unity, but for them unity does not mean an omnivorus unity in which all its constituents lose their entity and identity. They believe in that type of unity in which all its integral parts conjoin each other and form an organic whole without losing their independent existence and peculiarities. In other words, integration or unity, as the Jainas believe, ineans a harinonious co-existence of different nations, faiths and cultures in an organic whole.
The Jaina thinkers assert that unity implies diversity. Unity and diversity are the two phases of the same reality. They find reality as unity in diversity. In the Bhagavatī-Sūtra, Lord Mahāvīra mentions that I am one as well as many, in their philosophy universal cannot exist without particular and vise-versa.24 There is no class without individuals and every individual belongs to a certain class. We cannot imagine a cow without cow-hood and without cowhood a cow. The terms unity and diversity are relative, such as husband and wife. The term husban implies wife and the term wife implies husband, similarly unity implies diversity and diversity implies unity.
So, whenever we talk about human solidarity it does mean the unity in diversity, for diversity is also an essential characteristic of mankind. Radial, cultural, linguistic, regional and religious differences are inevitable and essential. In the Niyamasāra Ācārya Kundakund,
23. 124.
Yaśastilaka (Somadeva) p. 373 (Bombay Edition) Bhagavatīsūtra 1/8/10