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period of Indian life, when many conflicting dogmas were adumbrated without leading certitude. The Syādvāda stands out as an intellectual idea of that harmony among men which is based upon mutual understanding. In literature it has served as a basis of encyclopaedic knowledge in which many of his votaries have excelled.
Such was the form of Mahāvīra's declarations which aroused confidence in so many hundreds and thousands of his followers who had gathered round his personality and impelled them to follow his example in their own life. And such was the special attraction of religious life which was held out to the householders, both men and women from all families and social grades who came to form a large body of lay-disciples of the venerable Ascetic Mahāvīra.
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Mahāvīra was one of the great teachers of mankind. He was indeed one of those teachers through whom the problem of the perfection of man came to recognised as the highest problem before progressive humanity. All the rule of religious life, which he had enjoined, were intended to be practical and to the attainment of perfection of self. The goal set before mankind was the blissfulness of the entire being which could not be brought by wealth, pomp and power in the world. This happy state is to be attained through patience, forbearance, self-denial, forgiveness, humanity, compassion ad consideration-in short, suffering and sacrifice, love and kindness. Mahāvīra has died, but only to live as an enternal personality.
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