Jain Journal 1972 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 13

JANUARY, 1972
133
Madam Guseva's would have been a more useful study if she had concentrated exclusively in giving a simple exposition of Jainism to her own people. To do so it is neither necessary to place it in the group of heretical religions nor to present it as something anti-Vedic, anti-Aryan. In India, the emphasis of all religions including Jainism is on personal liberation. Every Indian religion views on life as a bondage. Religion is only a key to liberation from bondage, from life to self. And in this Jainism is unique in the sense that it believes not in a Godhead superior to, or placed above, the individual soul. The soul is itself pure, perfect and enlightened, a virtual God ; but as it is, it is contaminated, rendered impure, imperfect, ignorant. In the Jaina view, it is so because it is in the clutches of karma. Jainism prescribes an elaborate code of conduct by which the soul, by dint of its own effort, may not only get rid of existing karma fetters but also may stop its influx, so that, in the end, it is perfected, liberated and enlightened. This state is to be acquired by individualistic effort and it never comes as a gift, grace or charity. Perhaps Jainism is exclusive among all world religions in the God-less Soul-god approach, and may be viewed as the only scientific religion in the world. The Jainas again view on the kşatriyas as the only upholders of truth and knowledge, not the brāhmaṇas, who are a degraded people by dint of their profession. But this is no class antagonism, as viewed by Marx. It is simply a fact which is corroborated in Jainism by the Tirthankaras or the organisers of the orders who are all, without exception, kșatriya princes. May be while giving a second look to her work, Madam Guseva may like to make necessary changes in her thoughts, or at least restrict her work to giving a simple exposition of Jainism rather than viewing on it as something antagonistic to something else. A chapterwise review of the book is avoided, since what has been said above about the book as a whole applies equally to almost all her chapters.
--K.C.L.