Lecture On Jainism

Author(s): Lala Banarasidas
Publisher: Anuvrat Samiti

Page 33

( 25 )
Inis-understood.
Gentlemen, allow me to say here that ancient India has been much mis-understood Ancient India much Of course, you should not think that I am speaking like a haughty scholar. I am neither a scholar nor a shadow of a scholar. I am a commen stulent. My study of this question has been very brief. It was sometime ago that I received several questions through my patron, J. W. D. Johnstone, Esq., F. R. G. S., Inspector-General of Education, Gwalior State, in charge of Census Operations, from Captain C. E. Luard, Census Superintendent, Coutral India. Though the help of my friends I answered the questions but at the same time I was inspired to study the antiquity of Jainism. Since then we have been studying this question, and from what we have read as yet, I say that ancient India has been much mis-understood. This is an idea that has occurred to my mind, and I do not want to hide it. People have commonly supposed that there was nothing else in ancient India but Brahmanisin. What this Brahmanism was they never explain. If they mean by Brahmanism each and everything that existed in ancient times in India, they are right in their supposition. But if they mean by Brahmanism the Vedic religion or the religion of Vedic sacrifices. I do not see how they can be justified in supposing that there was nothing else in ancient India but Brahmanism. These Vedic sacrifices were not all that existed in ancient India. There were, no doubt, people who said :-- " अग्नीषोमीयं पशुं हिंस्यात् "