Book Title: Jainism by Vividus
Author(s): Ramnik V Shah
Publisher: Ramnik V Shah Canada

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Page 130
________________ to have much relevance to the fact that Buddhism could spread only outside India and become almost non-existent by virtue of Hinduism's acceptance of Buddha as one of their 'Avataras' while Jainism remained entrenched in India only in its distinct identity. Even to-day, Jainism is not keen or enthusiastic to create followers or spread and argue about its teachings. An Austrian idologist in a recent publication entitled or bearing on the subject of Realities in Jainism in his preface to the book has stated: "It is to be feared that Jainism is not being adequately considered in the present-day endeavors of establishing a relationship between Indian and Western philosophy. An important point in the external history of Indian philosophy which still remains unexplained to a great extent, is the relationship between its various systems and schools. Nevertheless, it is striking how often, important ideas and even whole systems are not being noticed beyond the limits of the own school. The same can be said with regard to doxographic works ie. works relating to the formulas for public worship of deities. Generally we can state that many of the most important philosophers of ancient India (like Sri Kundakundacharya, Umaswami, Akalanka, Siddhasén Diwakar, Samantbhadracharya etc., would be completely unknown or only very inadequately known if we merely knew them through the records of other schools and systems. This holds good in a high degree in the case of Jainism". Under these circumstances it is time that Jainas should wake up and instead of spending collosal amounts in building new or repairing old temples they would enter the world-arena of thought on a monumentally extensive scale, first by giving up their ivory tower of isolation liberalising scriptural interpretations circumscribing Jaina saints' undertaking of travels throughout the wide world, then by Jaina saints' or even Jaina householders' becoming proficient in world languages and then by publishing and distributing at a nominal cost or even free on a gigantic scale involving crores of Rupees and dollars the ancient teachings of Jainism appropriately interpreted by modern scholars who should be scientists and saints as well. A revolutionary change and 14

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