Canonical Literature Of Jainas

Author(s): H R Kapadia
Publisher: Hindi Granth Karyalay

Page 14

CHAPTER I
GENESIS OF THE JAINA SCRIPTURES
It seems that every person, male or female, likes the idea of substantiating his or her views, secular or religious, by quoting some authority or other. This becomes almost a necessity especially for those persons who profess to follow some religion at least, and who are anxious to prove the validity and superiority of their religious beliefs. They naturally refer to the original works of their school as the best and final authority, and attribute their author. ship either to God or to a human being free from any blemishes whatsoever.
Humanity and religion practically go hand in hand. If so, it is no wonder, if we were to find that an enormously big number of religions has come into existence, and eeveral of them bave become a dead let ter by this time so much so that in spite of the advance science can claim to have made, we are not in a position to yive even a definite list of all these religions, leaving the question of their details apart.
Out of the various religions that had their origin and development in India during the last several millenniums and that have not still disappeared, Jainism is here singled out for being treated at length, especially owing to its vast and varied literature.
1 Such a human being in his own times or thereafter is looked upon as super
human, and in course of time, miraculous and mysterious stories gather round his life.