________________
JAINISM AND WORLD PROBLEMS
which a deduction for the greater anciency in favour of any one of them can be drawn thus is the fact that they teach the same thing, and that the language of the Veda is allegorical while that of Jainism is plain.
But I think that this fact is quite sufficient to determine the comparative ages of the two Faiths. For it is clear to me that allegory must have had a basis of prior fact to fix itself upon. If the Teaching was not known before, how could it be allegorized ? In other words, whosoever allegorized the doctrines of the Science of Salvation must have known them, so that allegory is easily posterior to science or fact.
158
Shall we now try to seek a scientific basis for the allegories of the Rig Veda outside Jainism? But such an attempt is foredoomed to fail, for we have not the faintest trace of any such religion if Jainism is to be rejected. The best thing is to recognize that such a rejection will be simply the outcome of prejudice, and not an act prompted by good reason. There has been no other scientific and scientifically expressed religion in the world, and certainly there was none beyond 7000 years ago in the past.
It is not necessary for the purposes of this article to insist upon the absolute accuracy of the Teaching of Religion, though I am fully convinced of it. The historian has not studied the subject, and cannot be readily expected to accept my ipse dixit on the point. It is sufficient for my present purpose if it be understood that the teachings of the Rig Veda, when properly interpreted and understood, reveal identically the same groundwork of scientifically expressed thought as is found in Jainism. If this is once accepted it would follow that both these religions, namely, Jainism and Vedicism, are merely the work of the one and the same body of men, some of whom allegorized the Teaching of their Religion, while some did not. We can say, if we like, that there was a scientific religion of the ancient Aryans which is expressed
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
