Essence of Jainism

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 13

PREFACE
The title, “Essence of Jainism” of the present publication, is given following the paper of the same title given in the work. The title is meaningful. One peculiarity of the writings of Pandit SukhJalji is that he does not delight in giving just a superfluous Barration of his subject; he catches the very significance of the topic under analysis and lays it down in the most effective words and expression. The discussion and analysis therefore of culture, religion, philosophy, Jainism, Jaina philosophy, Jaina ethics etc, touches their very basic significance. Visible as it is to the eyes, the external form of religion etc. is generally known to all. However, few people know the basic significance at the root of all thèse. In the present work, eyen the followers of Jainism will be disillusioned about their false notions; they will come to know so much that is new. For non-Jains, evideptly the work is like a lamp that enlightens their path of acquaintance with Jainism.
Panditji gives greater importance to history and comparative study. This is another trait of his writing. Men of religion are very often not endowed with a deep understanding of their own faith and yet proclaim that it is the oldest and the best. But Panditji gives a deep shock to this faith by historical and com. parative evidence and tries to purify this understanding. Man therefore becomes more awake and alert in matters religious instead of their being deficient in religious faith. They grasp reality and their faith further deepen and become firm. The method of presentation adopted by Panditji awakens a sense of discrimination in the mind of the reader. He is thus enabled to discriminate on his own between what should be discarded or adopted after a revaluation of his conventional beliefs. Thus, Panditji shakes, from the very roots, the faith of the reader. But here the purpose of Panditji is not to deprive the reader of his faith, but to make his faith firm. He wants that the reader should become full of faith in the real sense of the term and his obstinacy is lost, as a result thereof,