Historical Facts About Jainism

Author(s): Lala Lajpatrai
Publisher: Jain Associations of India Mumbai

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Aryan religions and specially of Jainism that all the acts of the man are inbued with religion. It is contradiction of words to say therefore that although the Jains believe in Ahimsa, they are cruel.51 Of course there may be some rare instances but they cannot be put forward in extrenuation of a sweeping statement ascribing cruelty to the Jains as a class. As a matter of fact the Jains are considered by all to be farthermost away from cruelty. There ought to be unshakeable proofs before such a damnatory charge is laid against a community of great antiquity and prominence like Jains If we refer to history we find not the Jains but the Hindus cruel to a great degree in religious bigotry. No instance of persecution by Jains even during the reigns of Jain kings lias been ever recorded. But on the contrary in South Madura the Hindus did put to sword so many as eight thousand Jains.52
HUMANITY OF JAINS.
As regards your statenent “Although the Jain laity protects the lower creatures, its conduct towards man is of great cruelty”, we may point out that it is not correct that Jain laity restrict their kindness to the animal-world.“3 Apart from the fact that there is utility of even such a kindness which can be realised by remembering usefulness of cow and such other creatures to mankind, it is an exploded myth, given circulation to