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PROF. ADHIKARI'S ADDRESS.
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Little is perhaps known definitely to many of us what that signifies Jinendra Mahavira, the reputed founder of Jainism, is the contemporary of Gautama Buddha. This is at least established by the historical researches that have been made on the subject. These researches place them both back in the sixth century before the birth of Christ-a fact which was perhaps utilised by some Western Indologists to identify the two great sages. That is no lunger possible. Jainism represents a religion different from Buddhism, although there may be some points of agreement between them. And if we take into consideration the archæological dis. coveries that have been made recently, we have positive evidence of the existence of Jainism as a faith far earlier than Buddhism. Already the excavations made at Muthra and other places have proved this beyond doubt. Parswanathji, the 23rd Tirthankara, is no longer a mythical being but a historical personage who preached Jainism some 250 years before the birth of Mahaviraji. The latter is now recognised to be but a reformer or a fresh exponent of the tenets of the faith held to be eternal. If, again, we are to give credence to the orthodox belief which would make Mahaviraji the 24th Tirthankara, we should have simply to gape in wonder to think of the vast ancientry claimed for the doctrines preached by these comparatively modern teachers and exponents For according to Jaina tradition, the time of the 22nd Thirthankara Neminatha is placed 84,000 years earlier. Similar large and incalculable figures are given for the still earlier series of 21 Tirthankaras by their orthodox traditions. We are not here concerned with these figures. But they at least indicate the nature of ancientry claimed, and rightly claimed, for the faith. It is no doubt much earlier than Buddhism, as is shewn by the fact that Buddha himself is represented in the Tripitakas, which are supposed to embody his own sayings, to refer to Jainas as Nigranthas. whose tenets he was at pains to refute.
It is not however for its ancientry alone that Jainism is of value to us. High consideration is due to it on the part of those who would study the social history of India. No study of Indian culture would be complete without bringing in the influence which it must have exercised over the mind of Hindusthan. It is a well
16 Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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