Jain Spirit 2002 10 No 12

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 66

VIEWPOINT
HISTORY INFORMS
Dr. L. M. Singhvi Dr. L. M. Singhvi, an eminent jurist and philosopher, explains
why it is important to study and learn from history
TIS STRANGE THAT FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS JAINS HAVE remained a minority in India without a psychosis of Lminority. They do not suffer from minority syndrome. Jains are not fighting against anyone, so they do not have a visibly separate identity. We are very well integrated wherever we live and we do not generally suffer from discrimination.
However, Jains today are not interested enough in their own tradition or their history, not even in scholarship. We have tried hard to open Professorships in many universities, but Jains never enrol as students. I am very concerned about this decline in scholarship, which Dr. Paul Dundas at the University of Edinburgh wrote about in Issues 8 and 9 of Jain Spirit. Ours is a deep tradition of study and scholarship. We are very good at building temples and maintaining them, and this is a positive strength. Jain temples are among the best maintained temples in India. However, we do not have a sense of history. Jains have had a strong influence on the Upanishads and we have made very little attempt to find out about the historicity of our Tirthankaras.
A German scholar, Herman Jacobi devoted many years of his life to the study of Parshva Nath and finally came to the conclusion that Parshva was a historical personage. I believe that at certain times, like during the Gupta dynasty and the reign of Chandragupta Maurya around the 4th century BC, up to two-thirds of India was Jain. The population of India was small at that time but percentagewise there were many Jains. Even the rulers were Jains. There is a very famous south Indian saint called Tiruvalluvar, who in my view was definitely a Jain. He is studied in schools all over south India. I inaugurated his statue outside London University's School of Oriental and African Studies in central London. He actively promoted vegetarianism and non-violence, and his "Weaver's Wisdom is a central part of Shaivite literature. He has
given wonderful practical guidance about everyday life, which most Jains are not aware of.
There is a huge mystery about Rishabhnath and his historicity. The seals of the Mohenjo Daro civilisation (one of the oldest of Indian civilisations) show a very strong resemblance to Rishabhnath. Western scientists find it very difficult to accept that Indian civilisation is older than the Greek and Egyptian heritage. Civilisation evolves because there are catalysts, impacts and influences from different parts of the world. It may well be proven that the sociology of the Pharaohs is very similar to the sociology of India at that time. There are many references that indicate the prevalence of the Indian custom of brother marrying a sister, as was the norm for Pharaohs. There are striking resemblances between the pantheon of the Egyptians, the pantheon of the Greeks and the pantheon of the Indians. This is not just a matter of invention, but also a statement of fact.
I believe history is extremely important. The spirit of tolerance is also important in history - we can never say the last word. We are constantly discovering and rediscovering history. We are all the products of history. Knowing and understanding our past will give us tremendous inner strength and self-esteem. In our efforts to become economically successful and prosperous we are losing interest in our past, concentrating too much on the here and now. Studying history will make us humble, it helps us understand the flows of time and the different influences. It enables us to better see our own lives in a wider context. This will help us to cope with changes much better than if we were to simply live in the here and now. z
Dr. L. M. Singhvi was the former Indian High Commissioner to the UK (1990- 1997) and is a member of the advisory board of Jain Spirit.
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Jain Spirit September - November 2002