Charlotte Krause her Life and Literature

Author(s): Shreeprakash Pandey
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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Dr. Charlotte Krause : Her Life & Literature
and spread, the truth about things; but, only some centuries ago, there existed no other science but Theology, the knowledge of God, and all the other disciplines were its subordinate branches, cultivated by learned and orthodox clergymen.
Modern India represents exactly the state of Medieval Europe, with its religio-centrical conception of the problems of life, from singing and dancing up to travelling, teaching and studying. Religion is the starting point and aim of all and everything.
So it is with reference to the study of the Sacred Writings of Indian Religions. They are not, for the Indian student, first of all a subject of research, as they are to the Western scholar, but their study is indeed one of practical import. They live, and are being put fully into action, with all their minute and severe prescriptions.
I have been able to watch this phenomenon more particularly with reference to my special subject of study, viz., Jainism, whose ethics still forms the strictly authoritative canon of daily life of the present followers of the Jaina Religion ---- exceptions being, ofcourse, admitted. This system of Jaina Ethics forms the subject of this paper. It being a complicate and rather bulky matter, many details will have to be left away. Still, its main points will be paid due attention to, both from the theoretical and practical side.
[A] The Theoretical Side Striving after knowledge, perception, happiness and power, is a characteristic feature of human nature. But, according to Jainism, it is not an original characteristic of the soul, because the human soul, and every soul whatsoever, is, by its very disposition, omniscient, gifted with perfect perception, happiness and unlimited power. These four qualities, however, cannot manifest themselves, because they are covered by matter, interlaced and amalgamated with the soul since eternal times; just as the light of a lamp cannot spread, if the lamp is covered by opaque objects.
The matter interlaced with the soul is called Karma. It is bad Karma, or Pāpa, if it has been heaped up by evil action, and, as such,