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JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXVI, No. 3 January, 2002
Speech 11
Speech by Swami Prabhanandaji Mahārāj International Seminar on Lord Mahāvīra and the
21st Century held on 2 April 2001
LORD MAHAVIRA AND 21st CENTURY
His Excellency Sri Viren J. Shah, the Governor, Mr. K.M. Yusuf, formerly Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Prof. K.M. Lodha, President of the Celebration Committee, distinguished guests and friends.
Being a follower of Sri Ramakrishna, we accept Jainism as a valid spiritual path. Mahavira was as great as a prophet as Gautam Buddha. On the occasion of the Great One's 2600th birth anniversary, I pay my humble homage at his holy feet.
Through the ages, the Jains, though a minority, have occupied a major and distinct place in Indian history. Jainism is perhaps the earliest post-Vedic non-Brahminical faith that appeared in north-India. It is considered non-Brahminic, for Jains do not recognize the authority of the Vedas. Its earliest exponent was Rishava, the first Tirthankara. Birt it flourished and was glorified by Vardhamana or Mahavira, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara and a contemporary of Gautama Buddha. Born in Kundagrama, a village near Vaisali, in a princely family, Mahavira was a great reformer, who brought some changes even in the traditional religion coming down from Parsvanatha. He popularised the principles of Ahimsā, on the basis of which he elaborated an ethical code for the householders as well as for the monks. He left behind a strong religious Order. Jainism is one single religion, but it split into two sects, Svetambara and Digambara, chiefly on the point of certain rules and regulations of the monks, but mostly of minor nature. Mahavira preached in the mixed dialect called Ardha-magadhi In the midst of the changes that came about, the followers of this faith have, however, clung to the five great vows (mahāuratas): abstaining from injuring life, false speech, taking whatever is not given, unchastity, and appropriation. In many cases a sixth vrata, consisting of abstaining srom food and drink at night to avoid injuring insects) has been added.
Though austere asceticism remained dominant among the Jaina
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