________________
GURUDEVA SMRITI GRANTHA
all of them can renounce the world which has, somehow, to go on. It is in this practical business of living that Jainism has held the loftiest ideals before its followers. While its saints have embodied truth, non-violence, and renunciation, its philanthropists have endeavoured to make life worth living For religious contemplation they have built temples that are the marvels of architecture, and Dharamshalas, provided with all amenities, which make pilgrimage a pleasure. For education, without which any faith is but blind belief, they have not only established schools, colleges, and hostels but instituted scholarships and bursaries There are numerous such Jain institutions and funds all over the country Otherwise, too, Jainism bas pot discouraged secular activity There are Jains in the army, Jains in the medical profession-eyen as anatomists and surgeons-Jains in trade and industry And all this work has benefited not only the Jain community but the nation also The Jain faith and secularism have thus helped each other. The faith has inspired philanthropy, and philanthropy strengthened the faith
Yet there is one prejudice, which the Jains have not generally been able to get over While they allow their boys and girls to read biology or go in for a course in Anatomy or Surgery, they disfavour the study of these subjects in their own 10stitutions, for they involve killing of life Where an institution has a temple attached to it, this objection may have some force, but what about the rest ? India needs biologists and anatomists and surgeons, but no Jain institution is willing to do its bit. Yet it has an NCC unit, whose trade also is to kill or be killed, Jain educationists will have to do a little thinking about it.
