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The Fundamentals of Jainism
I
Speculations about man, the universe and the relation between them, and about the goal of human life have been agitating man's mind from times immemorial. This has given rise to many philosophical systems and religious doctrines, one of which systems is known as Jainism. Its followers, nowadays mostly confined to India, hold a prominent place in this country. They have a most ancient culture,1 holy places scattered throughout the country and numerous historical monuments as symbols of their glorious past and evidence of their love of art and sculpture.
It is quite wrong to believe, as was held in the greater part of the 19th century, that Jainism was either a break away from the Vedic religion of the ancient Indian Aryans or merely an offshoot of Buddhism.2 The Jains believe their system to be eternal truth, revealed for the benefit of mankind in every era by innumerable Tirthankaras or Jinas (Victors). These are omniscient expounders of the nature of things, preachers of truth and organizers of the Sangha or Holy Order of ascetics, and teachers of the laity, both men and women.
Owing to insufficient historical data scholars may
1 See J. P. JAIN: Jainism: The Oldest Living Religion. 2 See HERMANN JACOBI'S Introduction to The Jurna Sutras, Part I, in The Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XXII.
3 A Tirthankara is defined as he "who shows the broad fording-place of virtue, the best of all, reaching which men overcome pains and sorrows."-SAMANTABHADRA; BrihatSvayambhu, Stotra. 9.
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