________________
The Jains through Time
120
Though the definition itself clarifies the progresses towards 'pure-being through purpose of the scriptures, yet the separate practice of self-discipline and ahimsa. description of the purpose emphasises the fact that the true aim of scripture is to open The So-Called Scriptures up the path of universal welfare. This The definition of scripture, as described in common aim of the scriptures is accepted the paragraphs above, is in itself a science, a by Jains, Buddhists and the Vedic religion truth. Can science ever contradict science? alike. Even Christians and Mohammedans Can truth ever challenge truth? No! No! say that Christ and the prophet Mohammad One truth cannot refute another; if it does, Saheb brought a message of love and mutual then it is not the truth. So we must harmony for all. I feel that this singular recognise that any holy book which can be purpose of the scriptures is so all-pervasive challenged by human thought or empirical and all-encompassing that it cannot be science is not genuine scripture. Be they the challenged by any philosopher or any Jain Agamas, Shrutis, Smritis, the Buddhist thinker of standing
Tripitakas, the Bible or even the Koran, they
are compilations fostered in the name of When Acharya Haribhadra, the great scripture. I do not accept any thought or luminary of the world of the Jain Agamas, idea, be it old or new, without question. I was confronted with the question about the cannot tolerate the blind acceptance of any purpose of scripture, he too repeated, 'Just as granth (book) as the truth, even if it is called water washes all the dirt out of clothing and a Shastra, Shruti, or Smriti. Neither myself, leaves it shining and clean, so too scripture nor any other independent thinker can washes away the filth of all passions like lust, stand for this tendency, especially when anger, greed and jealousy from the mind and these so-called scriptures do not successfully leaves it pure and clean.'+' Thus, scripture is pass the universally accepted test of being that essence of reality from which one instrumental in promoting world welfare. obtains the knowledge of the self and
widwbudha.
"malinasya yathātyantam alam vastrasya sõdhanamantahkaranaratasya fatha sastra
Yaguhindu Pakaron, 2/9
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
