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THE JAINA GAZETTE
preached in the foreign countries; such as Arabia 4 Abyssinia, Greece etc. 5 Even the mention of the conversion to Jainism of such aboriginal inhabitants of India, as Bhars and Kurumbas, is also, traceable. Most of the famous kings of Hindu India, as Chandragupta Maurya, Amoghavarsa, Kumarpal etc., were all converts to Jainism. There are accounts of the conversion of Akbar, the Great also.6 In the Digambara sect of the Jainas, a Muhammadan convert to Jainism, by name Jinabakhsa, commands a great respect. His lyrical compositions are recited even, by the orthodox Jainas.
Sri Jinasenacharya expresses openly the proselytising creed of Jainism in his famous work the "Mahapurana" and gives the ritual rules under which a non-Jaina could be converted to Jainism. Thus the universality of Jainism is quite clear. Its doors were open, even very recently, for the peoples of all classes and colors. & Even to-day this main feature of Jainism has not totally dwindled in the overwhelming and false social customs. Only recently the Jains showed a shrewed sense of religious thought, in welcoming a distinguished German lady to their faith. The late Mr. V. R. Gandhi, late Justice Rai Bahadur J. L. Jaini and Jaina-Darsana-Divakara Mr. Champat Rai Jain, Vidyavaridhi carried and diffused the light of the universal teachings of Lord Mahavira in the western countries during this century. And I am glad to note that this ancient spirit of Jainism is now appealing to the hearts of almost all the Jains in a commanding manner and a few other examples of conversions to Jainism has followed-since then.
4. Asiatick Researches, Vol. IX. p. 284.
5. Lord Mahavira and other Teachers of His Time, p. 19. The Original Inhabitants of Bharatvarsha, pp. 41 and 246.
6. Ind. Anti. XI, 256.
7. Mahapurana, Parva 39.
8. This is supported by the evidence of Dr. Buhler, who writes about Jainism on his experience and witness, that the "conversions of people of low caste such as gardeners, dyers, etc. are not uncommon even at the present day. Muhammadans too, regarded as Mlechchas, are still received among the Jaina communities. Some cases of the kind were communicated to me in Ahmedabad in the year 1876, as great triumphe of the Jains. etc."-Indian Sect. of the Jains. p. 3. f., n
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
