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RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
It does not admit of pessimism, but is full of pragmatic optimism. It is equally opposed to fatalism, and advocates selfreliance, development of one's will power and of faith in personal effort. With it means are equally as much important as th end, and there is no question of the 'end justifying the means', or vice versa; if the end is good, the means employed to achieve that end must also be good. As some one said, "Practice makes perfect, but if we practise wrong, it comes out perfectly wrong". The means determine the nature of the ends produce. You aspire to do good, and yet so frequently achieve evil, simply because your means are bad. What the Tirthankaras, and the Jaina sages of yore have said, has been endorsed by modern leaders of thought like Alduous Huxley, Gandhi and Nehru.
Despite the comparatively small numbers of its declared adherents, Jainism is a living faith, a living religion, which has preserved in a large measure the originality and integrity of its system. It is, moreover, the possessor of a very rich cultural heritage. Vast and varied literature, both religious and secular, numerous monuments, antiquarian remains and artistic relics, beautiful temples, peaceful and picturesque places of pilgrimage, big manuscript libraries which are the very treasuretroves of learning, large number of humanitarian establishments, educational and social welfare institutions, some characteristic festivals, social practices, customs and ceremonialism inspiring ideals like ahimsā and vegetarianism which have had a tremendous impact on the life and thought of the people of this country and even elsewhere, include the remarkable heritage that goes by the name of Jaina culture.
The account of historical development of almost every branch of Indian learning and art and of cultural phases and social institutions would be incomplete without incorporating in them the corresponding contributions made by Jainism which has also
