Jain Journal 1973 01

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

Page 30

JANUARY, 1973
Lastly, one may ask and quite pertinently, whether all this means anything real and purposeful, when we see the disciples of Mahavira following the way of life, absolutely contrary to what Mahavira espoused and expounded. True, if the Jainas, who claim to be the followers of Mahavira are to be taken as the specimen of Jaina life, Mahavira's teachings sound incredible and appear irrelevant. There can be no denying the fact that the Jainas have, by ignoring and leaving the essential and striving for the non-essential, vulgarised the faith. In their life, much is contrary to what Mahavira had emphasised. This paradox is there, and if Mahavira is to be judged from what the Jainas have done or are doing, the question of relevance cannot arise. But it would be absolutely wrong and unjudicious to assess the contribution of Mahavira to mankind's march for peace and happiness, on the basis of what his blind followers have done. They have wronged themselves and have wronged Mahavira. But this has happened in case of almost all faiths and religions. Why only in respect of religions and faiths only; even in political and social movements and revolutions the same has happened. In recent history, we have seen this happening to Gandhi:
123
Mahavira is a part of our history-a part of the universal thoughtprocess. It has, therefore, a relevance which is and will remain imperishable in its essence. The chaff goes and will go, but the essence lives and will live. In essence, there is much in the ideas and ideals Mahavira practised and preached, which is of imminent value in offering solutions of the problems of today and tomorrow for emancipation and advancement of mankind.