Atmatatva Vichar Or Philosophy Of Soul

Author(s): Vijaylakshmansuri, Ghanshyam Joshi, Kirtivijay Gani
Publisher: Mohanlal D Mehta

Page 13

PREFACE
22nd Tirthankar of the Jains was Lord Neminath a cousin of Lord Krishna and the 23rd Tirthankar was Lord Parshwanath who existed in Uttar Pradesh in India about 250 years before Lord Mahavir. It is now admitted as a wrong motion that Jain Religion was founded by Lord Mahavir as an ofishoot of Buddhist religion or Vedic religion. This wrong opinion about Jain religion persists in India and abroad though the scholars are inclined to believe that this religion is the most ancient in the world. Dr. R. D. Karmarkar, Director of Bhandarkar Research Institute, Poona, has given his opinion in his presidential address in Bombay a few years ago at the time of Mahavir Jayanti Day at H. G. Jain Boarding, Tardeo, that Jain religion existed prior to the Vedic period and out of the two cultures and philosophies known as Tain and Vedic, Jain culture and philosophy is "an elder brother and the Vedic one is younger brother-both originating from one common philosophy." But it is a matter of disappointment that there is misconception and misunderstanding about Jain religion among non-Jainsmisconception on the historicity aspects of the principle of Ahimsa and on the most ancient character of Jain religion. It is stated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, world renowned Prime Minister of India, in his book "Discovery of India”, that Jain religion is an independent religion. In support of this the Hon. High Court Judges of Bombay, High Court and Madras High Court have also given their decisions favourably long before about the independent character of Jain religion and that it is not an off-shoot of any other religion. The fundamental difference in 2 cults Vedic and Jain is caused by denying totally the animal sacrifice to which Vedic religion or the Vedas have given their unwilling consent and that also in a half hearted way. It is true that Vedas have given, it appears, consent to animal sacrifice saying that animal goes to heaven when offered with the prayer of Brahmins. But if we study the Vedas more deeply and read Hindu Mahabharat it will be found that animal sacrifice has received total denial at the same time up-holding that type of sacrifice of offering living animal in the burning pyre with the Mantras. Jain Tirthankars and Jain Munis have vehemently denounced animal food in all its forms while the Vedas have tolerated animal food. They have gone further by even meat eating with pious restricticn by putting one condition that such animal food or meat would be acceptable after offering the same at the time of prayers in sacrifice.