Jain Journal 2007 04

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

Page 28

Sagarmal Jain : TheRoleof Religion in Human Unity And World Peach
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The reason and faith are complementary and actually there is no contention between the two. Faith without reason is blind and reason without faith is unsteady or vacillating. Therefore the religious codes and rituals should be critically analyzed. In the Uttaradhyavana-sútra, Goutama, the chief disciple of Mahāvīra, strongly supports this view before Kesi, the pontiff of the church of Jina Pārsva. He said: “The difference in the law must be critically evaluated through the faculty of reasoning. It is the reason which can ascertain the truth of Law."
If one maintains that the religion has to be solely based on faith and there is no place for reason in it, then he will unfailingly develop an outlook that only his prophet, religion and scriptures are true and other's prophets, religions and scriptures are false. He will also firmly believe that his prophet is only savior of mankind; his mode of worship is the only way of experiencing the bliss and the laws or commands of his scripture are the only right ones and thus he disturbs the human writing and peace and causes confects in the name of religion of his
ligious prescriptions. While one who maintains that reason also plays an important role in the religious life, will critically evaluate the pros and cons of religious prescriptions, rituals and dogmas. A biased person believes in the dictum 'Mine is true' while the unbiased person believes in the dictum "Truth is mine".
A biased person tries to justify whatever he has already accepted, while unprejudiced person accepts what he feels logically justified. Ācārya Haribhadra says : I possess no bias for Lord Mahāvīra and no prejudice against Kapila and other saints and thinkers. Whosoever is rational and logical ougtht to be accepted. When religion tends to be rational there will hardly be any room for intolerance. One who is thoroughly rational in religious matters, certainly would not be rigid and intolerant.
Non-Extremism is the basis for Unity and Peace :
Dogmatism and fanaticism are the born children of extremnism. An extremist holds that whatsoever he propounds is correct and what