Introduction to Jainsim

Author(s): Dewan Bahadur A B Lathe
Publisher: Jain Mitra Mandal

Page 51

JAINISM
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80. We shall have to consider this aspeet of the question later on. It may, however, be said here that for the scholar and the thinker, the question is not whether a religion satisfies the craving of a morc or less unthinking mob; for, on this theory, the sacrificial rites of Aryan and Un-aryan barbarians which scck to propitiate the gods by offerings of lives, may pretend to stand on higher grounds than those that are occupied by the best and subtlest speculations of our highest hcads. In giving a verdict on such a charge as this, it is necessary, therefore, 10 scc if it stands thc tcst of intcllcctual and moral criticism. Judged from this standpoint, the war waged by Jainism against thc fictitious power that professes to be able to sct all Law at defiance and work miracles for the satisfaction of its favourites, is a war in the cause of truth and morality. There can bc no indictment of Jainism on this ground. It would bc better to cxamine the nature of its tcaching, its aims and objects and its triumphs in ages gonc by, beforc we give our judgment as to the cause of the small number of its professors. This we shall be able to do not in the beginning, but in thc cnd or our inquiry. Yet thic very first step we have to take is to mark the Theosophical Naturc of Jainism.
This is reading makes it so, shows why the charge has at all come into vogue and the way in which it is to be answered. Jainism is in fact neither a religion nor 3 Sect nor a school of Philosoplıy. It is thc csscncc. the abstract, the undercurrcnt, in short, the religion of religions. It may be defined almost in the same icrmis as were used by Zeller or Ferrier in forming a definition of philosophy in general. Jainism is a purified system of rational knowledge holding only suchi principles as appcal in reason qua reason. It is 1101 Vishnu thus the Jains adore; it is not Shankar that they accept als llicir God. Neither is Budha or Christ their object of worship. Yet in ons sense it is Vishnu(ilie protector), it is Shankar(ihe door of good,