Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 92

Relevance of Jaina Sadhanā : 85
bids us to be dogmatic and one sided in our approach. It preaches us a broader outlook and open-mindedness, which is more essential to solve the conflicts due to the differences in ideologies and faiths. Prof. T. G. Kalghatagi rightly observes, 'The spirit of anekānta is very much necessary in society, specially in the present day, when conflicting ideologies are trying to assert supremacy aggressively. Anekānta brings the spirit of intellectual and social tolerance" ( Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin, No. 4, p. 31 ).
For present day society what is awfully needed is the virtue of tolerance. This virtue of tolerance, i.e., regard for others ideologies and faiths is maintained in Jainism from its earlier times to the present days. Mahāvira mentions in Sūtrakrtānga (1/1/2/23 ) "those who praise their own faiths and ideologies and discard the views of opponents, distort the truth and remain confined to the cycle of birth and death." Jaina philosophers all the time maintain that all the view-points are true in respect of what they have themselves to say, but they are false in so far as they refute totally other's view-points, in famous Jaina text, Isibhāsiyāim ( 3rd centruy B. C.) the views of different teachers of Sramanic and Brāhmanic trends like Nārada, Bhāradvāja, Gautam Buddha, Mankhali Gośāla and many others, have been presented respectfully. They are called as Arhat-Rșis and their preachings are regarded as Agamas. Here I would like to quote two beautiful verses of Haribhadra and Hemacandra ( 12th century A. D.) respectively which are the best examples of religious tolerance.
Haribhadra says: "bear no bias towards Lord Mahāvira and no disregard to Kapila and other saints and thinkers, whatsoever is rational and logical ought to be accepted."
Hemacandra says : "I bow all those who have overcome the attachment and hatred, which are the cause of worldly