Jaina World of Non Living

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 11

The Jaina world of Non-living
(3) The principle of non-absolutism and manifold predication has given it a comparative supremacy on theoretical and logical grounds.
In early days, the promotion of religion was mostly based on royal paronege in the country. However, the Jaina seers and businessmen have been going abroad in various parts of the world since the days of Alexander even in fourth century B.C.E. The names of the monk Kalyana, Ācārya Kalaka and his disciples, prince Ardraka and others are noted in history. That is why, we find many forms of indicators for the preservation of Jaina culture in different parts of the world as described by G.P. Jain in his booklet. Currently, Gurudeva Citrabhanu, (late) Muni Susila Kumar, Triputi brothers, Acarya Candana and her disciples and many Bhattarkas have been trotting the globe for the last thirty years for promotion and preservation of Jaina culture. The householders like Virchand Gandhi, C.R. Jain, Br. Sitalprasad and more than a dozen of other scholars including Dr. N.L. Jain have also been participating in this activity. This has been due to increasing migration of the Jainas abroad for education and business purposes. There are about 0.10-0.15 million Jainas in almost all the continents of Europe, Africa, Asia and America. They need preservation, continuity and promotion of their culture on a wider scale. They have established many Jaina organisations like JAINA, JAFNA, Jaina Samaj, Europe, Jaina Academy. Leicester and others for promotion and preservation of Jainism.
Besides promotional lectures, many persons have written and published a good amount of elementary literature on Jaina tenets and practices including many foreign scholars in different foreign languages. Various aspects of Jainism also form the topic contents of International Conferences in the world on various themes related with philosophy, religion, ethics, peace and non-violence and environment etc. as Jainism has its tenets are applicable to the wider world problems. Some organisations have created world wide website on Jainism also. Despite this, it is observed that the middle level and academic world of the west seems to be not properly informed about Jainism. That is why, most books on 'World Religions' used as a course of study have many points about it to be rectified. It is, therefore, felt that we must have this