Jainism Abroad

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

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"Jainism has two ways of looking at things, one called the Dravyarthikanaya and the other the Paryayarthikanaya ............. The production of a law is the production of something not previously existing, if we think of it from the latter point of view i.e., as a Paryaya or Modification; while it is not the production of something not previously existing, if we
look at it from the former point of view, i.e., as a Dravya or substance. According to the Dravyarthikanaya view the universe is without beginning and without the end, but according to the Paryayarthikanaya view we have creation and destruction at every moment.
"The Jaina canon may be divided into two parts: first, Sruta Dharma i.e., philosophy and the Second Charitra Dharma, i.e., ethics".
"The Sruta Dharma inquires into the nature of nine principles, six kinds of living beings and four states of existences - Sentient beings, non-sentient beings, merit, and demerit. Of the nine principles the first is 'Soul'l According to the Jaina view 'Soul' is that element which knows, thinks and feels. It is in fact the divine element in the living being. The Jaina thinks that the phenomena of knowledge feeling, thinking and willing are conditioned on something, and that something must be as real as anything can be ...................... The true nature of the soul is right knowledge, right faith, and right conduct. The soul, so long as it is subject to transmigration, is undergoing evolution and involution".
"The second principle is non-soul. It is not simple what we understand by matter, but is more than that. Matter is a term contrary to 'soul', but non-soul is its contradictory. Whatever is non-soul is non-soul".
"The rest of the nine principles are but the different states produced by the combination and separation of soul and non-soul. The third principle is merit, that on account of which a being is happy. The fourth principle is demerit: that on account of which a being suffers from misery".
"The fifth is the state which brings in merit and demerit. The sixth is Samvara; that which stops the inflow of foreign energies. The seventh is destruction of actions. The eighth is bondage of soul, with actions; the ninth is total and permanent freedom of soul from all actions".
On the doctrine of Karma, he said: "The Sanskrit of the word Karma means action. 'With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again 'and' whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap' are but the corollaries of that most intricate law of Karma. It solves the problems of the inequality and apparent injustice of the world.
"The Karma in the Jaina philosophy is divided into 8 classes: those which act as impediment to the knowledge of truth; those which act as an impediment to the right insight; those which give one pleasure or pain, and those which produce bewilderment. The other four are again divided into other classes, so minutely that a student of Jaina Karma philosophy reads so beautifully and so clearly the doctrine of Karma. Persons who by right faith, right knowledge and right conduct destroy all Karma and thus fully develop the nature of their soul, reach the highest perfection, become divine and are called Jinas. Those Jinas who, in every age, preach the law and establish the order are called 'Tirthankaras'......."
Virchandji stressed the importance of 'Ahimsa' (non-injury in thought, word and deed), 'Anekanta' (theory of non-absolutism) and 'Aparigraha' in practice. He accepted the high ideals of all religions and thus portrayed an unbiased, broad-minded attitude - possible only through constant practice, deep study and wisdom. These talks impressed a great many people and were published verbatim in many journals and magazines. Priests, public men and the press spoke in eulogistic and glowing terms and paid tributes to his scholarship, learning and brilliance. According to one American Newspaper "No other speaker could generate as much interest and create as much impression as the young Jain from India".
An eminent contemporary American wrote thus about him: "A number of distinguished Hindu Scholars, Philosophers and religious teachers attended and addressed the Parliament, some of them taking rank with the highest