Jainism and Democracy

Author(s): Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: I A S S Jain Conference New Delhi

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are the soul criteria of valuation in them. They worship the person who has molded his life according to these principles, without any distinction of caste, creed or sex. He is the supreme deity for them. The Jain Hymn of benediction (antralt Ha) does not contain any particular name. It classifies human aspirants into five categories. The first two categories present the Jain notion of deity, They are individual souls who have attained perfection through their personal effort, one with body and or physical existence and the other without body. The remaining three categories present different grades of saints. Thus we can say that the Jain conception of deity is subordinate to morality. The same is the case with scriptures. The authority of a scripture, according to Jainism is based on its being the words of perfect soul. This perfection has two conditions--(1) The person should know the subject fully. (2) He should be free from all prides and prejudices. If we are not conversent with the subject fully directed by passions, we are liable to commit a mistake. A person who is free from both will not commit it.
In political terms these systems can be divided into two categories of imperialism and democracy. The systems placing deity or scripture above man may be called imperialistic. They admit a natural difference between man and man feel the necessity of outer controller. In ancient India emperor was held as God incarnet. Every thing associated with him was divinised and worshipped. His whole family was regarded as partial manifestation of the supreme being. No act of his was immoral. Even plunders and incests where