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Uttaradhyayana
153 its advocates, the priests (ii) The animal sacrifice prescribed by the Vedas (iii) Caste-system based on birth. (iv) Untouchability and (v) Brahmanic belief that bathing at a holy bathing-place
washcs away one's sins. In conclusion may I say: Although Jainism and Buddhism assail Brahmanism for enjoining bloody animal sacrifices, for creating the evil caste-system, for recognising untouchability, for entertaining superstitious beliefs like 'bathing in the river Gangā washes away sins, 'food offered to Brahmanas (on the anniversary of the death of a relative in whose honour śrāddha is performed), reaches the particular dead relative (in heaven), 'the birth of a son saves you from hell’, etc., we must never lose sight of the most important fact that like Brahmanism and Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism are and remain genuine products of the Indian mind and that they have considerably influenced Indian spiritual life. It is an indisputable fact that although Indian religions and their darśanas present a diversity of views, we can easily discern in them the common stamp of an Indian culture-the unity of moral and spiritual outlook. When we compare and contrast these Indian religions with the foreign religions like Islam and Christianity, we at once realise how closely allied these Indian religions are. Every Darsana is moved to speculation by a sense of discomfort and disquiet at the existing order of things. These darśanas agree implicitly on the four äryosatyas (noble truths) discovered by Buddha : 1. There is suffering. 2. There is a cause of suffering. 3. There is cessation of suffering. 4. There is a way to attain it. These darśanas also accept the law of Karman which implies optimism and makes man the master of his own destiny. They also hold in common the view that ignorance of reality is the cause of our bondage and sufferings and liberation from these can be achieved only through knowledge of reality, continued meditation on the highest principle and a life of self-control (yoga and samyama); further, these darśalas accept the idea of liberation (mokşa, mukti, nirvāna) as the highest goal or aim of life. Brahmanism, Jainism and Buddhism are the major 11. Seminar on Jain Agama
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