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THE JAINA GAZETTE take the trouble of reading the proper kind of books on Jainism and comparative religion, and study the whole subject as a science should be studied, he would not, I am sure, be long in arriving at proper estimates of the different problems connected with religion which the generality of the learned' men of our day are prone to dispose of too readily and flippantly as the outpourings of the baby mind of the race.
JAINA SABHA,
Simla, 31st August, 1927. }
Yours, etc., CHAMPAT RAI JAIN,
VIDYA VARIDHI,
Barrister-at-law.
Note.-This letter was sent by Mr. C R. Jain to the Editor of the Simla Times as an answer to the misrepresenting article on Jainism published in that paper. It is surprising to note that the Editor had not the kindness to give place to it in the columns of his esteemed paper. Faithfui representation of facts and Impartiality should be the mottoes guiding true journalism. These two characteristics seem to be significantly absent in the case of our contemporary at Simla. (Ed. J. G.)
LORD MAHAVIRA.
(A great witness to Ahimsa.)* THERE is a fourth great witness to the great truth. That is
1 Mahavira whose name is held in great reverence by the Jains. Mahavira the Blessed One, Bagliavan Mahavira was born in a palace. His father was a king ; but as he grows in y-ars there comes to him a consciousness of the high mission of his life. All his wealth he distributed to the poor and he went out. After twelve years he returned. At the age of 29 or 30 he stands before the people no! as a king but as a teacher, a teacher of wisdom. He was a great organiser, and Mahavira
* An extract from the lecture on "Witnesses to Ahimsa" delivered by Sadhu T. L Vaswani on the 13th January 1928 at the Gokhale Hall,
Madras. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
