Aspect of Jainology Part 1 Lala Harjas Rai

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Shodhpith Varanasi

Page 59

Dr. Sagarmal Jain and to develop tolerance toward and respect for other's ideologies and faiths.
For the Jainas, a true religion consists in the practice of equanimity and its foundation is the observance of non-violence. In the Acärängasūtra, the earliest Jaina text (c. late 4th cent. B. C.), we come across these two definitions of religion : Equanimity is the essence of religion, while the observance of non-violence is its external exposition or a socia aspect of religion. The Acāränga mentions that practising of non-violence is the true and eternal religion.
Jainism, since its inception, believes in and preaches for peace, harmony, and tolerance. It has been tolerant and respectful toward other faiths and religious ideologies throughout its history of existence. In Jainism one hardly comes across instances of religious conflicts involving violence and bloodshed. At most one meets with instances of disputations and strongly worded debates concerning ideological disagreements. The Jaina men of learning, while opposing the different ideologies and religious standpoints, fully paid regard to them and accepted that the opponents' convictions may also be valid from a certain standpoint.
Intense Attachment, the root of intolerance
Among the causes that generate fanaticism and intolerance the blind faith is the principal; it results from Passionate attachment and hence uncritical or "unexamining" outlook. Attachment (mūrchā) according to the Jainas, is the cause of bondage. It causes perverse attitude. In Jainisin various types of attachment are enumerated; among them darśana-mohaldịştirāga (blind faith), due to its very disposition, has been rackoned "paramount". In point of fact it is considered central in religious intolerance. It leads one's attitude toward a strong bias for one's own, and against other's religion. Non-attachment is therefore considered as a pre-condition for the right attitude or perception. A perverse, and hence defiled attitude renders it impossible to view the things rightly, just as a person wearing coloured glasses or suffering from jaundice is unable to see the true colour of objects as they are. "Attachment and hatred are the two great enemies of philosophical thinking. Truth can reveal itself to an impartial thinker." 3 Non-attachment, as