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reformative spirit. It would be a great mistake if we consider that Jainism and Buddhism were revolts against Brahminism or that they are faiths alien to Hinduism. Western scholars have committed a great mistake in highlighting this view, though they have done this intentionally to lay the seeds of enmity and disintegration in this great Indian culture. It was not a revolt but a reforming crusade. In fact, Vedic and Sramaņictraditions are not rival traditions as some of the western and Indian scholars think but are in fact complementary to each other, representing two aspects of human existence – physical and spiritual.
There has been a deliberate effort by western scholars to create a gulf between Jainism and Buddhism on the one hand and Hinduism on the other. Unfortunately, some Indian scholars, even Jaina scholars, supported their point of view, but in my humble opinion this was a step taken in a wrong direction. It is true that Sramaņicand Vedic traditions have divergent views on certain religious and philosophical issues, their ideals of life also differ considerably, but this does not mean that they are rivals or enemies of each other. As reason and passion, sreya and preya, in spite of being different in their very nature, are the components of the same human personality, so is the case with Sramanicand Vedic traditions. Though inheriting distinct features, they are components of one whole Indian culture.
Jainism and Buddhism were not rivals to Hinduism, but what they preached to the Indian society was at an advanced stage in the field of spirituality as compared to Vedic ritualism. If the Aupanişadika trend, in spite of taking a divergent stand from Vedic ritualism, is considered as a part and parcel of Hinduism and an advance towards spirituality, what is the
Jainism and its History 22
