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points) and Aparigraha (voluntary simplicity) etc., inappropriately interpreted to and digested by Jains as a whole. (b) At an ordinary level, Jains have made it a mess by over-blowing nonviolence to the extent of making both individual and social life hygenically unclean and therefore unacceptable by society-at-large. To quote the instance of "BOOK OF FACTS'--'Reader' Digest's latest 1985 publication, where on pages 115 and 119, you can feel what the world thinks about Jainism. On 115, World Religions," Jainism does not even exist though several other Religions and number of followers have been mentioned. On 119, the Religion of Jainism has been referred to under the heading, "Sweeping away the insects" as a Sect broken away from Hinduism in the 6th century B. C.'. The present following is 205 millions as against only 130,000 Zoroastrians, 14 millions Shirtcists described on page 115 along with Buddhists 256m., Christians 1,200m., Hindus 500m., Muslims 1,100m., and Confucians 275m.
At a higherr level which is negligible compared to the number of Jains at an ordinary level, however, we do find Jainism both accepted respected and even appreciated and revered: I mean at the level of Gandhi, Albert Schwitzer and thousands of New age believers. (c) By over-emphacizing their regared for minute life such as insects, mosquitoes, lice, cockroaches etc.' and microscopic life-forms such as heat-bodies, light-bodies, air-bodies, earthbodies etc., Jains at the ordinary level have allowed themselves, albeit unintentionally, even unknowingly an air of superiority over all other Religions' followers thereby incurring latters' displeasure and indifference, if not open hostility, which has resulted in Jains being only tolerated as an exclusive narrow community instead of being respected and accepted as more enlightened and sionate. Jains are seen as people professing to observe such regard for insects etc., but not for common human beings in general. They appear to be saviors of cows, birds, even mice but are not so much concerned to save whales, seals, dogs, even cats and horses and all this as commensurate with their wealth and status in the nation as a whole. They do not appear to show
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