Aspect of Jainology Part 1 Lala Harjas Rai

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

Page 72

RELIGION OF MAN Jagdish Sahai
Modern Man is so self-conceited that he considers it sheer waste of time to pause and think what he is, what this universe (of which he is just a part) is, and what relation he has with the Creator of this universe? These are all fundamental questions. So long as man refuses to think accurately over these things he cannot build a safe, strong, and sure edifice for his thoughts that can give him a clear perception of the goal towards which he must move. Because of this lack of understanding over the fundamentals of life itself, man has created more problems for himself than he has solved. Never was there such longing for world peace as today. In spite of the achievements in the scientific and other fields of human knowledge, man has failed to preserve his own dignity and integrity. Man's 'inhumanity' towards man still makes countless thousands miserable. It must be brought home to man that he is essentially a Spiritual being and that a society based on a materialistic conception of the universe is, like an inverted cone, in unstable equilibrium. Spiritual values alone give meaning and purpose to human life.
Man's life should be viewed as a whole. It is wrong to divide it into different compartments such as religious, social, political, and economic, as if each compartment is independent of the other. It is often said that religion is a personal matter between man and his Maker And it is also said that a Secular State has nothing to do with religion. Both these views are fallacious. Religion is not purely a 'private' affair. One is just on the path of religion when one begins to act in an impersonal way. Religion is and always shall be a Vital fact in man's life. A secular state will not be a Truly welfare State if its energies are not directed towards the raising of the spiritual solidarity and the moral tone of the people it governs. The destiny of Nations has over centred round the Character of individual men and women, Demoralization and degradation of character have preceded Disintegration of every civilization. A student of history knows that all the wealth and power of Western civilization did not save degenerate Rome. Character is the essence of Religion.
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