Jain Journal 2014 07

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

Page 10

Dr. Sagarmal Jain: Need of the Day-Comparative Study of Indic-Religions
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orders and mental tensions. The more advanced a nation, stronger the grip of these evils of our age over it, the single most specific feature by which our age may be characterized is that of tension. Now a day not only the individuals, but the total human race is living in tension. Need for the Comparative Studies of Humane Values Propounded in Different Indian Religions:
Though outwardly we are pleading for peace and non-violence yet by heart we still have strong faith in the law of the jungle, i.e. the dictum 'might is right'. We are living for the satisfaction of our animal nature only, though we talk of higher social and spiritual values. This duality or the gulf between our thought and action is the sole factor disturbing our inner as well as outer peace. Once the faith in higher values or even in our fellow beings is shaken and we start seeing each and every person or a community or a nation with the eyes of doubt, definitely, it is the sign of disturbed mentality.
The basic problems of present society are mental tensions, violence and conflicts of ideologies and faiths. Jainism had tried to solve these problems of manking through the three basic tenets of non-attachment or non-possessiveness (Aparigraha), non-violence (Ahimsa) and non absolutism (Anekānta). If mankind observes these three principles, peace and harmony can certainly be established in the world.
First of all we are human being and then any thing else i.e. Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Jainas and the like. To be a real human being, is a pre-condition for being a real Hindu etc. Our prime duty is to be a human in its real sense. This spirit is echoed in one of the earlier Jaina text Uttarādhyayana where in Lord Mahāvīra has laid down four conditions for true religious being. viz1. Humanity, 2. Belief in true of religious teachings, 3. Control over sensed and 4. Efforts for self purification. Thus we see that among these four conditions of a religious being, humanity occupies the first and the foremost position and to be a real human unbiased study of various religious systems and their script uses in essential.