Essence of Jainism

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

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Essence of Jainism
Philosophy and Religion-their Relation
Philosophy means doctrines that have resulted from and continue to result from our efforts at finding out truth. Religion is an individual and a community way of life that has evolved precisely following such doctrines. It is true that the capacity and deservedness of each individual or community is not similar. There will therefore be difference between one religion and another; its progress is bound to lag behind philosophy because religious following anticipates greater effort on part of men who follow it. Still if the directions of both these are basically different, religion remains deprived of the light of philosophy, howsoever deep and genuine philosophy may be. This results in curbing of the development of humanity. The purity. growth and ripening of philosophy is not possible without the dawning of religion in life. In a similar manner, in the absence of dependence upon philosophy, religion cannot free itself from superstitions. Difference of direction therefore in the case of the two will be suicidal.
[Dargan ane Cintan, pt. one, p. 7]
The seed of Religion
What is the seed of religion? What is its initial form?
It is our common experience that we all have a desire to live. Desire to live is not confined only to human beings or animals and birds. The minutest insects, butterfly and bacteria also have this ingrained desire to live. In the womb of this desire to live, there lies the unavoidable presence of a conscious or unconscious desire for happiness. Presence of the will to be happy implies the the presence of the inclination to be saved from the adverse suffering and pain The origin of religion lies precisely in this desire to live, inclination to be happy and to oppose pain and sorrow.
Any animal, small or big, cannot live if it desires to do so all alone; it can not pass such a life of loneliness. It must, resort to its group. On being in its group, it experiences security and happiness, and, in a similar manner, it gives happines to other individuals in its group by all possible