Jaina Gazette 1927

Author(s): J L Jaini, Ajitprasad
Publisher: Jaina Gazettee Office

Page 81

46
THE JAINA GAZETTE
service. They are thrilled by one great impulse, namely the honourable desire for the advancement of our collective interests. It is in short education alone, which can give a keener edge to the understanding, build up character and physique, elevate our thoughts and generally fit us out for organized work for the common weal.
Some of our mentors try to frighten us into the belief that the spread of education would lead to the decay of religion. A similar howl was raised in Japan when at the beginning of the 19th century she began to embrace Western methods and ideals. However the Japanese reformers never fought shy of the illomened birds who smelled rack and ruin in all beneficial change. Time has amply proved it that Japan had spotted the lode-star of her destinies with unerring instinct. Idle fears originate in blatant hypocrisy or are caused by disregard of the true proportions of things which matter. A preliminary grounding in religion is essential for our boys and on that should rest the evolution of the future. College education should not at all imply the elimination of religion from the life of the youth, as some persons imagine. On the contrary continued religious training would be a profitable adjunct of College careers. True it is that this presents a conspicuous void in the curriculum of non-sectarian educational institutions of the day, but they can naturally not be expected to cater to the religious needs of students professing diverse faiths. The paramount importance of establishing Jain Colleges at prominent Jain centres, is therefore all the more indisputable. Higher education is urgently required to provide the momentum to enable us march forward on the road to progress. Simultaneously we have to safeguard our youth from breaking away from our great spiritual and cultural moorings. All this can be satisfactorily achieved in Jain Colleges where the wisdom of the West may be thoroughly assimilated with all that is sublime in our own ancient culture and traditions. A couple of well-appointed Colleges, one in the North at Delhi and a second in Central India at Indore, would satisfy our immediate needs. And the former could certainly be developed into a full-fledged University before long. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat