Jaina Philosophy

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi, Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: World Jain Confederation

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sond The Jaina Philosophy Unknown Life of Jesus Christ' (1894), which he had translated from French into English. Shri Bhagu Karbhari, editor of 'The Jaina' and 'Patriot endeavoured to collect his speeches and articles and consequently the volume Jaina Philosophy' was brought out by N. M. Tripathi of Mumbai in 1911. It consists of the lectures he delivered in America and England. Shri Bhagu Karbhari deserves all the credit for bringing into light the multi-faceted personality of Virchand Gandhi, who died at a very early age of thirty-seven years on August 7, 1901 in Mumbai.
On 11th September, 1893 at 10-00 a.m. the World Religions Conference was inaugurated in the Hall of Columbus of Chicago's Art Institute. The representatives of different religions and sects, attired in their traditional costumes, assembled in the hall and they lent special colour and dignity to the conference. The conference, in fact, was part of the celebrations to commemorate the 400th anniversary of discovery of America by Columbus. Columbus was on his voyage of discovery and discovered a new country; similarly the western world discovered the rich spiritual heritage of India from Swami Vivekanand and Virchand Gandhi. The conference lasted for seventeen days and all through the sessions were enlivened by illuminating discourses delivered before packed houses.
Swami Vivekanand began with an invocation to Goddess Saraswati, addressing the congregation saying 'Brothers and Sisters' and then everyone bathed in the cascading flow of his words. The brief but eloquent addressed touched the hearts of one and all.
The World Religions Conference comprised ten religions and Jaina religion did not find place in it. But Virchand Gandhi, representing Jaina religion, delivered the 17th lecture. He acknowledged the debt he owed to his Guru Munishri Atmaramji Maharaj and then expostulated on the tenets of Jainism.
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