Essence of Jainism

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

Page 37

Initial background
the bonds of passions, and progresses towards pure consciousness or the Self. Only this can be designated as genuine religion. If such a religion reveals itself genuinely in life, even its external means, whatever they are in life and in whatever form, that is only religion and nothing else. If however, there is no freedom from the shackles of passions, if there is no effort exerted at freedom, it cannot come under the category of religion; the external means, howsoever genuine they are, become non-religion. In brief, it should be stated that religion is basically related to spiritual virtues like truth, non-violence, non-acceptance, etc. In reality, religion is nothing external. It still finds expression only through external life and practical worldly dealings. If we state that religion is the soul, then external life and all social dealings should be designated as its body.
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There should, in reality, be no difference between religion and culture. If an individual or a society are considered to be cultured and are averse to religion, what is the difference between barbarism and culture? The real meaning of human culture is therefore only religious or just dealing of life. But in the world, the con mon man does not take this to be the meaning of culture. By culture, people mean various arts, researches and disciplines acquired by man. But that these arts, inventions and disciplines reveal themselves only from the viewpoint and intention of the bliss of human society, is no rule. History has shown to us that at the back of all arts, are so many inventions and varied disciplines, it is not always true that there lies the same pure intention of social welfare. Still these things come in society and the society welcomes them. We thus see and experierce in cur worldly dealings that the thing that takes birth from man's intellect and his concentrated effort, and guides human society from the old basis to the new one, comes under the category of religion. There is no absolute rule that it has some specific relation with pure religion. That is the reason why so many races known to be cultured and believed to be so, are averse to religion in many respects.
[Darsan aur Cintan, pt. one, p. 9]