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JAINISM IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
Right Conduct when perfected leads to the acquisition of Omniscience and true Bliss. The soul freed from the bodily imprisonment also becomes immortal. All those who have attained to perfection have become immortal, omniscient and blissful, and they are now living at the topmost part of the universe as full, perfect Gods. Besides them there are and can be no other gods. And just because they are Gods, they do not meddle with the destinies of men or the affairs of the world, and neither create nor destroy any one.
Naturally, a practical system is expected to be able to furnish a list of the names of those who have benefited by its doctrine. We find in Jainism many lists of persons who have become Gods by following its teachings, with a wealth of biographical detail in every case.
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In this cycle Jainism was first preached by Rishabha Deva whose historicity is even acknowledged by Hinduism. As a science, however, Jainism is eternal; for all sciences are really eternal, though they might be lost and recovered again and again by men. No one knew the scientific doctrine of salvation before the time of Rishabha Deva in the present cycle of time.
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Jainism is the most tolerant of all religions, and characterized by love and mercy in the highest degree. Complete harmony is found to prevail between Jainism, Hinduism, Muhammadanism, Christianity, etc., when properly interpreted, and the differences which, at first sight, seem to be very great and insurmountable, are really found to be existing only on the surface. Jainism is, thus, really and truly, the reconciler of conflict and dispute among religions. It shows the same (scientific) Siddhanta (Philosophy), the same spiritual culture to be the groundwork and basis of all rational religions.
Jainism lays great stress on the study of soul nature, that is to say, the Psychology of the soul; for it is the one sure
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