Jaina Political Thought

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 92

practices which belong to different jatis. It does not matter whether they are based on some non-Jaina scriptures. The affairs of the world move on by themselves i.e.,by instinct, naturalreason and habit. It is useless to search canonical guidance in such matters. For this reason the Jainas have no objection to accepting all such social practices which do not destroy Samyaktua or Vrata. Saruo hi jainanam pramanam laukiko vidhih Yatra samyaktuahanır na yatra na vrata-dusanam//
This seems to contain a distinction between religious and secular aspects of social life. Much of niti would tend to fall within the secular aspect which does not need canonical guidance. Such a point of view tends to accept the traditional point of view of niti sastra which sought to avoid metaphysical or religious commitments, taking social opinions and customs as facts to be respected in the formulation of policy.
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