Jain Digest 2014 11

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 19

A
JAIN DIGEST
If the present abuses in India have been produced by the Hindu religion, the same religion had the strength of producing a society which made the Greek historian say, "No, Hindu was ever known to tell an untruth, no Hindu woman ever known to be unchaste" And even in the present day, where is the chaster woman or milder man in India?
Patriotic Speech of V. R. Gandhi at the First Parliament of world Religions
In the last place, I am very, very sorry for those who criticize the great ones of India, and my only consolation is that all their information about them comes from third hand, fourth hand sources, percolating through layers of superstition and bigotry. To those who find in the refusal of the Hindu to criticize the character of Jesus a tacit (understood without being stated) acceptation of the superiority of fanatical nil-admirari cult they represent, I am tempted to quote their old fable of Espo and tell them "Not to you I bend the knee but to the image you are caring on your back": and point out to them one page from the life of great Emperor Akbar.
Mr. Gandhi prefaced his paper "with remarks in reference to the allegations of the previous day against the morality of the Hindu religions. He said:
I am glade that no one has dared to attack the religion I represent. It is well they should not. But every attack has been directed to the abuses existed in our society. And I now repeat now, what I repeat every day, that these abuses are not from the religion but in spite of religion, as in every other country. Some men in their ambition think that they are Pauls, (humble) and what they think they believe, and where should these new Pauls go to vent their platitudes but India?
Ascertain ship full of Mohammedian pilgrims was going to mecca. On its way, Portugues vessel captured it. Amongst the booty were some copies of Koran. The Potuguees hanged these copies of Koran round the necks of dogs and paraded these dogs through the streets of Omrmuz. It happened that this very Portuguese ship was captured by the Emperor's men, and in it were found some copies of the Bible.
The love of Akbar for his mother is well known, and his mother was a zealous Mohammedian. It pained her very much to hear of the treatment of the sacred book of the Mohammedian in the hands of the Christians, and she wished that Akbar would do the same with the Bible. But this great man replied:
Yes, sir, they go to India to convert the hearts (Person does not belong to widely held religion) in a mass, but when they find their dreams melting away, as dreams always do, they return back to pass a whole life abusing the Hindus. Abuses are not arguments against any religion, or self-adulation the proof of the true of one's own. For such I have the greatest pity. There are a few Hindu temples in Southern India where women singers are employed to sing on certain occasions. Some of them are of dubious character, and the Hindu society feels it and is trying its best to remove the evil. These women are never allowed to enter the main temple, and as for their being priestesses, there is not one woman priest from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin.
"Mother, these ignorant men do not know the value of the Koran, and they treated it in a manner which is the outcome of Ignorance. But I know the glory of the Koran and the Bible both, and I cannot debase myself in the way, they did." Mr. Gandhi's remarks were followed by expressions of sympathy from among the audience
GUIDING LIGHT
I want to wash the stains, rather than the dirt - Munishri Namramuni
Dirt gets washed everyday. The dirt from the body, of those who have a bath everyday, gets washed off daily. Hence that person appears clean and neat. Similarly, sins that we commit daily is called dirt.
You will have a feeling of hatred only for those with whom you have frequent contact. You will have affection for those who are close to you. Because of affection there will expectations. When these expectations are not satisfied, affection turns into dislike.
This dirt can be cleansed by small repentances and atonements. Then, what are stains? What is the difference between dirt and stains? Stains means which have blended with the cloth... That which can not be removed by ordinary soap and water.
Anger may perhaps, spoil only this birth, but hatred will have adverse effects in many many births. Anger will spoil a few moments but hatred will spoil the relationship. Check yourself.
And find out where is the dirt and where are the stains? It is easy to wash a dirty cloth even if it is full if dirt, however it is very difficlt to remove a stain.
A special technique has to be used to remove the stains. Dirt means anger. It is momentary and quietens down by saying Sorry or Michchami dukkaddam. Stains means Hatred. It is easy to wash the dirt but difficult to remove the stains. You will have a feeling of hatred only for those who are close to you.
Dirt can be removed easily by small aaradhanas and repentances. But, to remove a stain, one must seek Sadguru;s shelter. Hatred can be removed only by seeking refuge and doing sadhana of gaining knowledge. Make efforts to remove the stain....inevitably dirt will be washed off.
I AUG- NOV 2014 19