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carries with it the additional functions of claiming new converts and prescribing the kind of worship and the scriptures that are to be taught, to them and on these two points unity of the three sects is impossible. On the other hand, Promulgation of Jain Literature is an object on which not only Jains of all sects, but all lovers of learning, of whatever creed they may be, may be interested to encourage.
As religious education is to be a part of every system of education, unity of the three sects is impossible in any system of educational reform, as each sect would like to have the religious instruction imparted according to its beliefs and scriptures.
As social matters are eubject to the will of the local Panchayats, an influential sectarian Association can exert greater influence upon them in achieving ang tangible results than an All Jain Association can do. If the Association takes up such controversial matters as widow re-marriage, Intercaste marriage, shudhi, Achutoddhar, it can never he representative of the three sects, nor will it be able to enlist the co-operation of the cultured intelligensia of the Jain Community, owing to these causes, the Swetambars and Sthanakwasis have all along kept quite aloof, and the Association has run only nominally as a defacto Digambar Society with Digambar office-bearers, President, Secretary and Editors etc. If it be the aim of those interested in the Association to keep it alive, the only way to achieve this object is to exclude the items of propagation of religious educational, and social reforms and keep such objects only on which unity of the three sects is possible and they are
(1) Safeguarding political rights. (2) Propagation of Jain Literature.
Hence the above proposal to break the Association into two separate Associations for the aforesaid proposals.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
