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JAINA GAZETTE.
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gone a elight change in its significance. Dotherland, service to fellow-men and self-sacrifice find more favouras religion than do the philosophy, the cosmology and forms of worship. If the Jainas really desire that these hopefuls shall not leave their fold, let them also let in the light of the times, let them also make room for social reforin, let them also forın organised bodies for educational work on modern lines, and then they can rest assured, no young man will find the heart to quit this excellent religion. The Tattwaprakasbini Sabha of Etawah has made a beginning in this direction, but much remains to be done.
There is one more thing in connection with this. Tradition and certain bad habits of the people have created round Jainism a sort of awful atmosphere in which the spirit of this religion is being stifled and which frightens most people from outside. It is the duty of the thoughtful among the Jains to see that this atmosphere is cleaned and those traditions and bad habits are destroyed and that a healthy knowledge of the valuable and basic principles of Jainism is spread liberally.
() A Decaying Religion.--This at once leads us to the fourth cause. The reports say that it appears that Jainism is a decaying religion. Thoughtful persons ask, “Is there anything in the religion which does not allow the people to grow'? Yet how true that we are decaying! Cannot the wealthy Jains open their eyes? Cannot those who are prepared to spend lacs of rupees for building temples and other things out of love for Jainism realise that these splendid temples would lie useless without worshippers ? Can they not be persuaded to see that infinitely more important is the work of arresting the decay. Will not this strike those learved Pandits dumb who profess so much love for their religion that they do not like the idea of lesser men than themselves ever adopting it ? Historically most important, archæologically most valuable : can they not see that all this worth and their value will be of no avail if the followers become extinct ? Even now will they not throw open their gates for all to enter ?
The reports say so much as to why there has been a decrease but nothing as to why there has not been an increase. The Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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