Jainism

Author(s): Herbert Warren
Publisher: Divine Knowledge Society

Page 11

JAINISM
M
IN WESTERN GARB, AS A SOLUTION TO LIFE'S GREAT PROBLEMS
PART I
CHAPTER I.-INTRODUCTION
Life is dear to all, even though it may contain misery as well as happiness. Man's desire for an explanation of the existence of misery, for its relief to extinction, and for a consequent increase of happiness, is the ground of religion. The work of relieving misery, explaining its existence, and of increasing the happiness of life, is the function of religion.
The means that religions generally enjoin for the relief of misery and the increase of happiness are to live and let live, be truthful, honest, chaste, content, respectful to parents, reverent to the spiritual teacher, and obeisant to the Deity. But to follow these injunctions is not the line of least resistance, and requires some positive belief as to the necessity for such a course of conduct.
The religions of the world differ very widely in their beliefs, faiths, and theories regarding good and evil, happiness and misery, and account with different degrees of satisfaction for the existence of the evil and the misery. An alternative to the doctrine of a kind and almighty Creator governing the universe, is the theory of soulless For Private & Personal Use Only