Jainism and World Problems

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

Page 86

JAINISM AN, WORLD PROBLEMS
hypothesis for further research. I am not desirous, by any means, of robbing the great men of science of their meed of praise in so far as it is merited for selfless labour and investigation of natural phenomena. Far froin it; I ain only anxious to develop the point that they have ignored the investigation both of things that really matter as well as the ultimnate conclusions in their own limited field, for which reason they have failed to attain Right Knowledge. So far as working hypotheses are concerned, all practical workers are likely to have them, from the gardener and the cook upwards, but surely we do not call the knowledge of the most excellent of cooks and the best of gardeners Right Knowledge ! The one, no doubt, has some conception of the inaterial he uses for his dishes; the other, too, is not altoge. ther without an idea about seeds, and sprouts, and seasons, and soils and sowings. But the gardener has no knowledge of the life in the seed, what it is that bursts forth froin the seed and out of the soil, whence the flowers and the bloom, whence the delicate tints and the life that is so exquisite and lovely and joyful ? The cook, who cuts up a fowl with as much callousness as a cucumber, is likewise ignorant of the nature of the life that he has destroyed with a singie stroke of his knife; he knows little or nothing about the reason why a cucuinber should be just only a cucumber and a fowl different from a cucumber, and why should they both be inferior to and helpless before man, who is able to destroy them at his sweet will ?
The Jinas have taught : The world is full of inisery; yet there is a way to the attaininent of incomparable Bliss ; Life is everywhere beset with death, yet there is a way to the obtain. ment of Immortality ; mau is enshrouded in gross ignorance, yet there is a way to the acquisition of Full Knowledge! The Jinas not only taught thus to mankind; They actually attained the things which They set as Ideals before us! The whole world bore testimony to Their attainments in the past.