Jains Through Time

Author(s): Shilapi Sadhvi
Publisher: Veerayatan

Page 53

The Jains through Time
of pravrutti. It is as a result of this balance between pravrutti and nivrutti that the Jain shramans have been able to attain the extraordinary in many fields. In their every action there was a withdrawal, and in every withdrawal an action.
Some people say Jainism is a philosophy for pessimists running away from reality and that its principles instill in its followers an aversion for home, neglect of worldly duties and a cowardly retreat into a community existence. Upadhyaya Shri Amar Muniji has rejected this view out of hand. He says that Jain philosophy, whose life blood is ahimsa, teaches man to fulfil in an ideal way, family, social and national obligations. It inculcates compassion, dedication and the drive to serve others, and teaches people to properly discharge all their duties and ethical responsibilities. The positive aspect of ahimsa is that people actively follow a path of loving others.
The Contribution of Jain Acharyas to Literature Observing the Jain contribution to literature, Prof. Buller has written that even the detractors of Jainism have agreed on the outstanding contribution of the Jains to literature, grammar, astronomy, medicine and other branches of learning". Western scholars are still finding out many hidden aspects of Jain lore. Prof. Buller has made this statement only on the basis of available evidence, but I know the truth; I am an eye witness, which is why I am telling you that the Jain writers excelled not only in sacred writings but also in all other branches of literature as well. They wrote wonderful works on subjects like grammar, vocabulary, rhetoric, logic, drama, epic-narratives, history, politics, economics, astrology, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, geology and even magic.
Jain philosophy is so all-embracing, it strikes the right balance between pravrutti and nivrutti. Asuhädo vinivatti suhē pavitti ya jāna cārittam - 'the correct way of living is withdrawal from wrongdoing and involvement in good deeds'. In the Jain path of purification there are codes for samiti (taking the correct action) and gupti (refraining from wrongdoing). In this way gupti is a form of nivrutti and samiti is a form
> Jain-Garten-Seririyan, Shri Mammal Jain Mircand. p.449