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___भ महावीर-स्मृति-पंथ।
have crept in the appreciation of the two religions to claims of antiquity. Similarly tâerc is ample material in the writings of the Western scholars who partly on acccount of the scantine89 of matcrial about Jainism and partly on account of their meagre study of the Hindu Shastras drek hasty conclusions from the similarity of some rules of conduct and principles of farth and argued that Jaroism was an offshoot of Hinduism According to the Jain tradition the founder of the Jain rcligion was Lord Vrisbabhadesa who lived millions of years ago. In his lecturc on Jainism published by the Jain Itthās Society in 1902, Lala Bcharsi Dass has quoted in detail from Mahābhārata (Shanti Parra ) and Blägnata Purana Shandha 5 to shos that these scriptures contain referenccs to Lord Vrishabha as the founder of Jainism. He has also quoted from the inscriptions found at Muttra by Dr. Fulircr in support of the propositions. The Inscriptions are ascribed to be 2000 years old and is further rescarch brings out some historical material to bear out these vital details of tradition from different sources, there cannot be any doubt in concluding that Jainism was as old as Hinduism. Apart from these references, Dr. Jacobi said that "the interest of Jainism to the student of religion consists in the fact that it goes back to a sery early period, and to primitive currents of religious and metaphysical speculation, Thich gave rise also to the oldest philosophies-Sankhya and Yoga-and to Buddhism,"
5. Whatever may be the divergent views about the antiquity of Jainiam, there cannot be any difference of opinion about the influence that it bad both in the North and the South of India. In the North there are jascriptions and legends which sing of the glories of kings that yere either Jains or had embraced Jainism. The conversion of Kumārpāla, the King of Gujerāt is regarded as a great event of historical importance. Events during the earlier period of the rule of Asola, the great Emperor are not wanting. But the tangible and at the same itme historical proof of the stay that Jainism had in Southern India is a matter of common history. Till the 12th century, there was not a single dynasty in the South that did not come under the influence of Jainism. The Kadambas, the Gangas, the Rashtrakūtas, the Rattas and the Kalachūryas are some of the induential and powerful dynasties that either followed Jainism as the religion of the state or had innumerable followers within their fold. .
6. The support of the political power and the status accorded to Jain priests, philosophers and writers naturally influenced every field of human activity and thought. The most fundamental contribution of Jainism is the introduction of a really scientific outlook-in approaching all religious problems, particularly in the field of Metapapsics, Though the Jain doctrine, that to attribute the qualities of creation, protection and destruction to some external agency like God is the negation of the Supreme Being was ridiculed by many as a doctrige of atbiests, as times passed on and intellectual
