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Jaina Ethics and Miscellaneous Customs and Manners
by arranging to give medicine free or at nominal charges. For this purpose the Jainas have opened dispensaries and hospitals for the benefit of the general public. In majority of the cases the medical treatment given is Ayurvedic. Wherever the Jainas are concentrated in a good number and are in a good financial position, they open such dispensaries. For example, in Sholapur city only the Digambara Jainas conduct two free dispensaries and one wellequipped eye-hospital. This custom is of long standing and from some Jaina inscriptions it appears that the provision of medicine, along with food and learning, was made in the Jaina Mathas.27
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Moreover, many educational institutions like schools, colleges and libraries are financed by the Jainas but are thrown open to the general public. Where they could not start them of their own accord, they help such projects by constructing buildings for them or by giving substantial donations to them. For other general purposes the Jainas have not lagged behind to give their support. The Jainas have contributed liberally and unsparingly to relieve mankind from famines.275 There is no humanitarian cause which does not get sympathetic help from the Jainas. For example, with a view to relieve distrees of the persons, irrespective of caste and creed, affected by natural calamities, famines, riots, epidemics, etc. and to render constructive help to them the Jainas of all sects and sub-sects established a special social work organization known as Bhagavan Mahāvīr Kalyāṇa Kendra, Bombay in 1968 and through this Kendra they have been carrying out various useful activities in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Pajasthan, Bihār, Karnāṭak and other parts of India.276
In the second category of Jaina institutions, those of a religious nature get prominence over those of social or educational character. In the Jaina institutions of a religious character the first place will have to be assigned to the Grantha-Bhāṇḍāras or Book-houses. The Jainas possess a very large number of books written on paper or on palm-leaves. These have been assiduously preserved by the Jainas for the last so many centuries. At the centres like Mūḍabidrī in South Kanara District, Kārañjā in Mahārashtra, Pātaṇa in Gujaratha and Jessalamīra in Rājputānā hundreds of books are preserved. Recently only catalogues of the manuscripts lying at these places have been published,277 and it is not
