Gandhi And Jainism

Author(s): Shugan C Jain
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

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childhood, and that personality is stable by the end of adolescence. Further personality traits are like open systems that can be influenced by the environment at any age. This interactional model of development emphasizes the relationships between an individual and her/his environment throughout the life span. Large-scale longitudinal studies have demonstrated that the most active period of personality development appears to be between the ages of 20-40. Although change is less likely later in life, individuals retain the potential for change from infancy to old age. This pattern is influenced by genetic, environmental, transactional, and unpredictable random factors.
As per the Jain philosophy propagated by its tirthankaras, status of a person is determined not by the family in which one is born but by his/her actions. Jain history is full of non Jains, who understood Jain principles very well, practiced them and became exemplary Jain preceptors. Based on this, even though Gandhi might not have been born in a Jain family, yet his understanding Jain doctrine and practice of the same makes him an exemplary Jain.
I am greatly indebted to Late Shri Bhavarlal H. Jain, Chairman Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon for his initiating the research on Gandhi and Jainism and part funding the same. The present book draws heavily on this research.
I am also greatly indebted to Dr. Y. P. Anand who was always available to discuss and guide me in this research and provided detailed and authentic references to Gandhi's writings and other published material concerning my research, as well as his own research on Gandhi. He also did a critical review of the book at various stages of its development. He had been a regular faculty member of our summer programs for overseas students and faculty members.
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