Jain Journal 1993 04

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

Page 66

APRIL, 1993
225
to be inextricably inseparable. Religion (when) divorced from science makes people superstitious and blind followers of lifeless rituals and consequently the people become narrow-minded and self-centred. It is the need of the time to explain the principles of religion through logically approved facts and scientific methods. Religion is most essential for life but there should be no place for blind faith in religion. According to Jaipa philosophy the religion has two-fold connotation--primarily it means the nature of substance that exists and secondarily it connotes the means or path by adopting which that essential inherent nature of the self-soul is realised.
We are, at present, in the last decade of 20th century and in this century the man has made an unbelievable tremendous progress in the field of science and technology. Today's man can not be compared with that of the so-called stone age. We have entered the space age and advanced in materialism so fast and so high that makes us to feel surprise and we give it the name of "the wonders of science". But on rational thinking we find that "wonder is nothing but the effect of ignorance" and "ignorance is no defence". Though the materialistic science has provided all luxuries to man yet the real and lasting peace is not within his reach. How could it be when it is not there?
Science no doubt, can afford correct explanation and logical thinking about any object, e.g. prediction of weather, evolution of the amount of energy in the explosion of an atom bomb, the distance between two planets etc., but if it attempts to explain human behaviour through its logical thinking, the explanation is likely to be incorrect. Science is an effective means for the study of living beings, because the ultimate end can be determined only through the preachings of all knowing Lord, the omniscient.
An exact science is that which gives an all-round satisfaction to all human beings and that science or scientific approach is available only in Jaina philosophy. A true aspirant of liberation is required to study the Jain religion impartially and unbiasedly. He should give up the individual's opinions and accept the facts which really produce conclusions. He should try to know and realise the true nature of the self and non-self objects. Because true knowledge and conduct with true belief are the pre-requisite of attaining Moksa' (liberation). He should believe in his words only whose blemishes like attachment, aversion, delusion etc, are totally destroyed ; may he be Brahma or Vişņu or Hari or Jina.