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CHAPTER 3
REFLECTIONS ON SOME PROBLEMS OF METAPHYSICS, ETHICS AND SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT
In this chapter, we would like to present some useful stray thoughts on the Jaina religion and philosophy.
Temple of Spiritual Good Open for All All Jinas, the Jaina prophets, propound and preach essential equality of all living beings. They command us to bear in mind this fundamental truth and conduct our life strictly in accordance with it. Equality is natural to all beings, while differences and distinctions found among them are adventitious. All the differences regarding bodily form, complexion, strength, wealth, status, power, prosperity and intelligence are due to adventitious causes. They are the consequences of auspicious and inauspicious karmas. But in their pure and pristine state, all beings are equal. In that state, there is no place whatsoever for any difference and distinction. So if anyone cultivates the feeling of discrimination of high and low, takes pride in his good fortune and despises those who are less fortunate, then by doing so he disrespects and dishonours the supreme spiritual essence equally present in all beings. Those who are born in the so-called low family, caste or conditions are also worthy of our goodwill and compassion, like those who are suffering from diseases and miseries.
The Vedic Hindu religion divided the society into four classes and the individual life into four stages on the basis of qualities and activities so that the society may function smoothly, it may secure essential services easily, it may remain free from the struggle and strife for life as also from mutually harmful competition, and there may be reign of order, accord and harmony in it. Thus in the early Vedic Hindu religion the basis for dividing the society into four classes was not birth; it was qualities, skills and professions. But afterwards when disregarding qualities, skills and
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