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DISCOURSE IXL
VARIETIES OF RELIGION
Gentlemen,
We have made considerable progress in the discussions on Religion. At the outset we considered the importance of religion, then we became conversant with the power of religion, thereafter we understood definition of religion and studied its characteristics. Finally we studied how and when we should practise religion but the matter does not end here. We have covered half the journey and we have still half the journey to cover. We have many important issues still left for discussion.
You have listened to the full series of discourses on Soul and Karmas. Now you should also listen to discourses on Dharma (religion) till the end. Some say, "Better half than never"; but it is really good if you listen to the entire series of discourses. You must particularly listen to the last discourses as they contain the essence of the subject under consideration.
You cannot get butter if you leave curds half churned. You cannot reach your destination if you get down at some flag-station in the midst of your journey. Scholars on moral philosophy have opined that one should reach the end of an object or subject once begun, and all great men try to follow this principle. We hope, you will also follow the footsteps of the great.
This world abounds in multiplicities of religions. Some of them are very ancient. Some of them are started fifteen to twenty five hundred years ago. Some of them are only one hundred to five hundred years old. To illustrate, Jainism is a very ancient religion, vedic religion is ancient while Buddhism, Christianity, Islam have been founded 1,500 to 2,500 years ago. Shikhism, Aryasamaj, Brahmosamaj, Prarthanasamaj are started only one hundred to five hundred back.
We say old is gold and if this test of antiquity is applied to religions, Jainism is the most ancient and therefore, the best religion. Some believe that Jainism was promulgated by Lord Mahavira. But such belief is not proper as Mahavira was preceded by
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