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The Kaliedoscope of Jaina Wisdom
29
Kings and princes were amongst the followers of Jainism, and whole countries enjoyed a Golden Age under the mild and humane reign of devoted Jaina kings, such as Gujarat under Kumārapāla, the disciple of the Jaina Ācārya Hemacandra of worldwide fame. It was only a short time ago, when whole Vaisya-jñātis consisted completely of Jainas such as the pre-eminent Osval, Srimal, Agreval, Proval, Modh, Nagar and other Jñātis, many of whose members turned Vaisnavas of late, for complicate social and other reasons. But whatever may be, at present, the nominal number of confessors of Jainism, nobody can deny that it is due to the humane influence of Jainism alone, if today, vast areas of India, such as Pious Gujarat, Kathiawar, Cutch and Marwar, are, in fact, the humanest countries of the world, with their various institutions for protection of animal life, their vegetarian population, and their crowds of white and yellow clad Jaina ascetics, in whose footsteps enlightenment and humanity follow, penetrating town and village, palace and cottage.
Jainism has a rich and interesting literature, in which, besides the time-honoured Āgamas and their direct derivatives, works concerning logic and dialectics act a prominent part. Owing to the active co-operation of far-sighted and learned Jaina Sãdhus amongst whom Venerable Late Šāstraviśārada Jainācārya Vijayadharma Sūri and his worthy successor Itihāsatattva Mahodadhi Jainācārya Vijayendra Sūri deserve to be particularly mentioned, the West has begun to take more and more interest in the investigation of Jaina literature. I hope and trust that these efforts will shortly lead to as vivid a progress of Jaina studies as that achieved on the field of Buddhist research since many decades.
We have caught a hasty glimpse on the Kaleidoscope of Indian Wisdom. With their depth of conception, their boldness of speculation, and their tendency of dissolving in Religion, the utterances of Indian Wisdom offer so variegated and dazzling a sight that one would well like quietly to reflect on the divergences
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