Gandhi Before Gandhi

Author(s): Bipin Doshi, Priti Shah
Publisher: Jain Academy Educational Research Center Promotion Trust Mumbai

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GANDHI BEFORE GANDHI
of the perfectness.
Restructured contents on 'Jainism' from the speeches and writings of Mr. Virchand Gandhi
Any philosophy or religion must be studied from all standpoints, and in order to thoroughly grasp the ideas of any religion or philosophy, to know what it says with regard to the origin of the universe, what its idea is with regard to God, with regard to the soul and its destiny, and what it regards as the laws of the soul's life. The answers to all these questions would collectively give us a true idea of the religion or philosophy.
There lived many such Jinas in the past and many will doubtless yet be born. The philosophy of the Jains, therefore, is not essentially founded on any particular writing or external revelation, but on the unfoldment of spiritual consciousness, which is the bright light of every soul, Books, writings and scriptures may illustrate, wholly or in part, this truth; but the ultimate fact remains that no mere words can give full expression to the truths of Jainism which must be felt and realized within.
Jain and Jina
Jain is as generic as Christ. We believe that there is not one Christ but many Christs born in all countries. Jina means any person who has conquered passions, and one who follows these principles of Jainism is called a Jain. (Passions described in Jainism are Anger, Ego, Deceit and Greed.)
Antiquity of Jainism
'Jain' (or more properly speaking, "Jaina') means a follower of Jina, which is a generic term applied to those persons (men and women) who have conquered the lower nature-passions, hatred, and the like and brought into prominence the highest of self. The Jain philosophy, therefore, bases its doctrine on the absolute necessity (for the realization of truth) of conquering the lower nature. To the undeveloped or insufficiently developed observer, it is the conquering of the lower nature; to the fully developed, it is the realization
Besides Hindu or Vedic religions, there are systems in India not based on the Vedas and Upnishads, and are therefore classed as heterodox by the Vedists. These are the Buddhist and Jain systems. Much has been written and spoken on Buddhism, but very little on Jainism
The opinions of scholars are divided as to the antiquity of
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