Jainism Some Essays

Author(s): A S Gopani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 52

Hindu Religion and Jaina Religion
[ 45
for a religious person to know when his religious performances and practices started but he has his eyes merely on whether his religious practices lead him on to the attainment of his goal. But the historian has not so much concern with that. His main interest is confined to finding out the underlying basis of a particular religious performance or practice. A religious person is statisfied to solve his doubts and problems on the strength of the evidence of his own spiritual self while a historian needs many more proofs to authenticate his conclusions. On account of this it so happens that what is acceptable for a religious person as a final simple truth is not so easily acceptable for a historian who subjects it to so many severe tests even before agreeing to it partially from the viewpoints of time and space-It is not easy to deceive the soul. One who behaves against his spiritual convictions or the dictates of his soul has always to bear the prickings of his conscience. Therefore, a religious person, if at all he is religious, goes on and on. It is a different matter if one wants to be known as a religious person having been deaf to a categorical imperative. But there is no doubt that the inner voice is a clear guide. Against this, the historical approaches suffer from a lack of conviction of the soul and a historian, for a large part, advances in the light of his likes and dislikes. On account of this, there is scope for differences of opinions in a number of matters though there is no dearth of matterial common to both. Due to this reason only, no unanimity has been established in the historical evaluation of religions. But much of what I will say here in this article will be for the most part acceptable to historians. I have no intention to give a blow to the feelings and beliefs of the religious people.
Limits of the present discussion.
After these prefatory remarks, I now start to say about some matters relating to the aforesaid Vedic religion and Jaina religion.
Hindu religion is a tall banyan tree which is so split into several branches in the form of sects that one lands himself into complications while searching its roots. Despite this, we have to think about it keeping in front of us its principal present form.
Speaking broadly, many sects such as the Shaiva, Vaishnava etc. etc. have come into existence in Hindustan and have spread their massage. It is clear that the kṛṣṇa cult has occupied a high seat in the Hindu religion. The main form of Hindu religion as it is existing today is found in the synthesis of all types of devotion attempted so liberally in the Gita which sings the song of devotion to krṣṇa only, Therefore, I will mainly discuss here in this article. while critically examining the Hindu religion, about