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Indian Ethnicity and Religious Heritage
"Nigantha" means one who is free from Knots of Knowledge.
Having considered this background let us now refer to some basic features of Jain tradition.
Basic Fundamentals of Jainism
The most important and basic feature of Jainism is that it sees the whole of his universe as a great Cosmic mechanism with its "Self-propelling force." This basic feature automatically dispenses with the notion that this universe is crated, conducted and controlled by any distinct authority called "God". We, human beings, being part of this self-propelling machanism, we should conduct ourselves in harmony with that mechanism and that is what we mean by "religion". All the well-known concepts of Jainism, such as, Ahimsa, Truth, Asteya (Nonstealing) Aparigraha (Non-Collectron of possessions) and Brahmacharya (Celebacy with chestity) flow from the fact that we humans should live in harmony with this cosmic mechanism.
"Thou Art That" (TGTH 31737) is as much the call
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