Jain Journal 2004 10

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

Page 24

DR.V.P. JAIN: JAIN RELIGION AND SOCIETY
technocrats, educators and other respectable professions. In general, they belong to the upper middle class strata of the society. Largest number of them have settled in the U.S.A. and then Britain, African countries, Germany, Japan, France, Australia and other countries. Many of the countries, I hope, are represented here at this world Conference. By and large they are treated as a respectable, peaceloving, non-interfering, law-abiding, vegetarian and tolerant community. They have constructed Jain centres and Temples at many places in the countries of their life and career.
This is today.
Tomorrow
Now I am coming to the last part of my talk : i. e. the Jain Religion and society in the 21st century.
This is a very fast changing world. It is becoming difficult by each day that passes, to keep pace with the changes. Materialisticculture has to have its undeniable imprint on the individual and society, whosever they be.
The Jains all over the world, and more so within the country, are being deeply influenced by the onslaughts of the intensely aggressive modern culture of unbriddled sensual-pleasures, whatever the cost. They are found in professions and businesses never heard of just 50 years ago. They are found involved in such criminal and sinful activities un-imaginable for the Jains, who were held in such high esteem everywhere and by everyone in the society for their truthfulness, absolute honesty, sincerity, reliability, integrity and above all, irreproachable individual character, and a non-violent, friendly, sympathetic, tolerant, benevolent and vegerarian way and style of life. Now suddenly all these virtues seem to be slipping away right through our fingers and the younger generations seem to be uncontrollably drifting away.
We celebrated the 25th Mahāvīra Nirvāņa centenary but also without many everlasting achievements.
The Jain community continues to be divided and further subdivided into sects and sub-sects.