Family and Nation

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya, A P J Abdulkalam
Publisher: Harper Publications India

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THE DYNAMICS OF INDIAN CULTURE
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commentator Haribhadrasuri, practices like false weights and measures and adulteration were forbidden on religious grounds. In the seventh agna of the Jains written in Prakrit-Uvasagadasao (The Religious Profession of an Uvasaga)—a list is provided of the activities considered immoral. The Holy Quran too prohibits the use of false weights and false measurements. The list includes buying and selling of stolen goods, stealing, trade in banned goods, false measurements and dealing with fictitious goods. Cruelty to animals, including maiming, overloading and deprivation of food and water, was also considered immoral.
The main aim of the Indian philosophy of economics was to take both the individual and the society towards peace and happiness. The doctrine of sukharthi samyato bhavet (a person during the period of happiness should be selfrestrained) is significant. In Agmas Sutrakritanga (direct preaching of Mahavira), man is classified on the basis of desire, accumulation and a tendency to indulge in violence.
The ancient Jains were agnostics, and within the broad stream of Hinduism, there were several heterodox currents that asserted a predominantly atheistic view. Hieun Tsang, the Chinese chronicler who travelled extensively in India during the seventh century AD, described the merchants of Benaras as being mostly unbelievers. He also wrote about arguments and debates amongst the followers of different Buddhist groups. Amongst the intellectuals of ancient India, atheism and scepticism must have been very powerful currents that required repeated and vigorous attempts at persuasion and change. By the fourth century AD, some of the most fascinating series of debates on what constitutes the scientific method had been produced: How does one separate our sensory perceptions from dreams and hallucinations? When does an observation of reality become accepted as fact, and as scientific truth? How should the