Account of Jainism

Author(s): Unknown
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 91

Jainism,
Jainism — are prefectly free from any passion that we know of. Their images are emblems of this feature of the Jains – I mean, the Digamber-Jains. They are absolutely naked from head to foot. This is very often made à point of ridicule by partisan cavillers of Jainism but we might, with Milton, say:
Then was not gvilty shame; dishonest Shame Of natures work, Honour dishonovrable, Sinbred, how have ye troubled all mankind With shews instead, mere shews of seeming pure And banisht from man's life his happiest life Simplicity and Spotless innocence !
Paradise Lost IV 313-18 This principle of Jainism has influenced the subsequent doctrines of the religion in many ways. The question of the creation of the universe as apart from man does not bear a direct relation with practical life and therefore a theory of creation assumes its fullest importance only as applied to man and his inner nature. If you deny the divine origin of things, what is the basis of morality? What