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Post-Mahāvīra Period and the Contribution of Jainism
Jinacandra Sūri left a lasting impression on Akbar. 320
HUMANITARIANISM AND MORAL LIFE
Jainism preaches love and compassion towards all living beings, human beings as well as animals, birds and insects. This ideal has produced a deep impress on Indian life. In Rajasthan the Jaina practice of feeding and sustaining the birds and the ants has been widely adopted by the Hindus.321 The Jainas have established a large number of animal houses called Piñjadā Pol for the protection of animals.322 The Jainas in south India made it a principle to provide food, protection, medicine and education to the needy.323 Jainism has exercised a healthy influence on the moral life of the people. 324 Through the ages, the Jainas have established and maintained charitable institutions of various kinds in the country.325 The Jainas have established and maintained institutions like public libraries, educational institutions, 326 dispensaries, 327 dharmaśālās,328 houses for animal protection,329 trusts for public welfare, etc.
The most precious gifts of Jainism to Indian culture are profound reverence for all forms of life and the way of austerity.330 Perhaps the greatest contribution of Jainism to the Indian culture, and to the world as a whole, is the advocacy of an ideal, i.e., perfection of man. Jainism has laid superlative
320. A.L. Srivastava, op. cit., p. 468. 321. JIR, p. 234. 322. RI, p. 296. 323. MJ, p. 269. 324. JIR, p. 233. 325. CUHI, I p. 222. 326. JIR, p. 235. 327. CUHI, I, p. 222; JIR, p. 236. 328. Ibid., p. 222. 329. RI. p. 296; CUHI, I, p. 222. 330. HOIC, I, p. 162.
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