Jainism and World Problems

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 65

THE CONCLUDING ADDRESS
57
THE CONCLUDING ADDRESS AT THE
CHICAGO CONFERENCE
Om ! nama Siddhebhaya !
Salutation to the Perfect Souls, the Gods ! MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I think I cannot better utilise the few inoments that i have been given to address you on this, the closing day of the culininating period of the proceedings of the Fellowship of Faiths, than hy summing up the message of the Great World TEACHERS, the Tirthamkaras, which I have endeavoured to convey to you, and, through you to the world at large, during the last month that I have been spending in your beautiful city. That message can be summed up in two words jnana and ahimsa, that is, knowledge and love ! You should seek the great Truth, and spread it amongst men, especially among those from whom you have not received affection and love and sympathy, and among those from whom you do not expect them in future. Let us all practise ahimsa at all times, so that by our example we may readily induce the world to practise it also. Remember that the peace of the World depends on our capacity to turn our eneinies into our friends. Let us be all truthful and sincere and loving towards one another, and let us not exclude poor dumb defenceless animals from the circle of the loved ones. We shall also do well to adopt simple living and high thinking 'as our motto in life. The less there is of machinery and fashions the better.
The Jainas of India are highly interested in the spiritual aspirations of their brethren in Chicago and America. I can assure you of their abiding goodwill and esteem, and I shall not fail to tell them of what I have seen and observed myself. I hope the next step will be a real effort at the true understanding of what RELIGION really is and means for mankind. I have been able to show you to a certain extent how