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or strike a balance and arrive at a describe Jainism as a scientific religion compromise. The Nobel laureate Albert because "right faith, right knowledge Schweitzer has also made a similar and right conduct with compassion as observation in his book "Indian Thou. its basis", being the qualities of such a ght and its Development". He said, religion were present in it. But what ''the real significance of a disputation is essentially intriguing is that a subtle between Western and Indian thought religion that jainism is and which in lies in the fact that each becomes aware unmistakeable terms seeks to lift the of what constitutes the inadequacy of human mind to heights of celestial both, and is thereby stimulated to turn purity should remain confined to a in the direction of what is more comparatively small section of the Indian complete".
community. Why is this religion not When one thinks of Jainism, one's
expanding and bringing more and thoughts irresistibly travel towards that
more people into its fold ? Perhaps it magic word which, like the Ramayna
would not be far too wrong to say that
the reason for this religion's limited passes on from one epoch to another. Ahimsa is that word. Ahimsa which
following was the presence of an according to V. S. Apte's Practical
overdose of rigidity of rituals. In fact Sanskrit English Dictionary signifies
some of the outward symbols, which harmlessness or abstinence from giving
people notice in everyday life, as for
instance strictly orthodox jain munis pain to others in thought, word or deed is not only to be practised for its own
sporting a piece of cloth and covering sake throughout the span of human
their faces partly tend to make them
somewhat inquisitive. The unthinking existence but is also to be directed
might dismiss the whole affair as a towards a definite objective. That
mere mockery of religion and a sign objective is the attainment of Nirvana or Moksha - the ultimate goal of life with
of fanaticism. The serious-mainded
among them would, however, take it in the followers of jainism.
a different light. They would ask themThere is a book on Jainism which says selves wheiher the followers of Lord that modern age of science had lost its Mahavira who preached compassion faith in Religion" because "Religion" for all life were indeed so good as not itself had lost its scientific foundation to hurt even the tiniest of creatures in According to Einstein, "Religion and thought, word, or deed. The crucial Science do not only not stand in con- question is whether it is at all possible flict but actually complete each other'', to translate this nobility into actuality. So a rational religion is essentially a If we think hard on this or any other scientfic religion. But no religion can relevant question we would be drawn become scieniiftc merely on insistence; to the conclusion that one sign of a it must have a scientific approach. living religion is that its lofty ideals do Science is not static; experiment and not hamper the mental growth of its correction is inherent in it. It is good to followers to the exent of isolating them
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