Religious Harmony And Fellowship Of Faiths A Jaina Perspective

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Z_Jaina_Literature_and_Philosophy_a_Critical_Approach_001936_HR.pdf

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Aspects of Jainology Volume VI
outlook. Attachment (Mürcha) according to the Jainas is the cause of bondage. It causes perverse attitude. In Jainism various types of Attachments are enumerated. Among them darśana-moha/drstirāga (blind faith), due to its very nature has been reckoned "paramount". In point of fact, it is considered as a central element in religious intolerance. It leads one's attitude towards a strong bias for one's own and against other's religion. Non-attachment is, therefore, considered as precondition for the right attitude or perception. A perverse, hence defiled attitude renders it impossible to view the things rightly just as a person wearing coloured glasses or suffering from jaundice is unable to see the true colour of objects as they are. Attachment and aversion are the two great enemies of philosophical thinking. Truth can reveal itself to an impartial thinker"13. Non- attachment, as Jainas hold, is not only essential it is imperative in the search of truth. One who is unbiased and impartial can perceive the truth of his opponents's ideologies and faiths and thus can possess deference to them. Intense attachment unfailingly generates blind faith in religious leaders, dogmas, docrtines and rituals and consequently religious intolerance and fanaticism come into existence. The religions which lay more emphasis on faith than reason are narrower and fandamentalist. While the religions according due importance to reason also are more concilia- tory and harmonious. It is the reason or critical outlook which acts as check-post in religious faiths and rituals.
Jainism holds that the uncritical outlook and even pious attachment towards the prophet, the path and the scripture is also an hindrance to a seeker of truth and aspirant of perfection. Attachment results in blind faith and superstition and repulsion consequences into intolerant conduct. The real bondage, as Jainas confirm, is the bondage due to attachment. A person who is in the grip of attachment cannot get rid of imperfection. Gautam, a chief disciple of Lord Mahāvīra, failed to attain omniscience in the life time of Mahāvira on account of his pious attachment towards Mahāvira. Same was the case with Ananda, the chief disciple of Lord Buddha, who could not attain arhathood in the life- time of his "Sastā". Once Gautam asked Mahavira : "Why am I not able to attain the perfect knowledge, while my pupils have reached the goal. "Lord answered: "Oh, Gautam, it is your pious attachment towards me which obstructs you in getting perfect knowledge and emancipation"4. The Jainas therefore laid stress on the elimination of attachment, the root cause of bias and intolerance.
Reason - The Check-Post of Blind Faith
In Jainism right faith, one of its three 'Jewels', plays an important role in emancipation of the soul. On the contrary, the blind faith causes intolerance. Jainism therefore does not support blind faith. Jaina thinkers maintain that the right faith should be followed by right knowledge. The faith followed by right knowledge or truthful reason cannot be blind one. According to Jaina thinkers, reason and faith are complementary and actually there is no contention between the two. Faith without reason, as the Jaina thinkers aver, is blind and reason without faith is unsteady or vacillating. They hold that the religious codes and rituals should be critically analysed. In the Uttaradhyayanasütra, Gautam, the chief disciple of Mahavira, strongly supports this view before Kesi, the pontiff of the church of Jaina Pārsva. He said: "the difference in the Law must be critically evaluated through the faculty of reasoning. It is the reason which can ascertain the truth of Law"16.
If one maintains that religion has to be solely based on faith and there is no place for reason in it, then he will unfailingly develop an outlook that only his prophet, religion and scriptures are true and other's prophets, religions and scriptures are false. He will also firmly believe that his prophet is only savior of mankind; his mode of worship is the only way of experiencing the bliss and the laws or commands of his scripture are the only right ones and thus he remains unable to make critical estimate of his religious prescriptions. While one who maintains that reason also plays an important role in the religious life, will critically evaluate the pros and cons of religious prescriptions, rituals and dogmas. An "attached" or biased person believes in the dictum 'Mine is true' while the "detached" or unbiased person believes in the dictum 'Truth is mine.
. Gunaratnasūri (early 15th cent. A.D.) in his commentary on the saddarśanasamuccaya of Haribhadrasūri (c. 3rd quarter of the 8th cent. A.D.) has quoted a verse, which explains : "a biased person tries to justify whatever he has already accepted, while an unprejudiced person accepts what he feels logically justified"17. Jainism supports 'rational thinking'. Supporting the rational outlook in religious matters Acārya Haribhadra syas : "I possess no bias for Lord Mahāvīra and no prejudice against Kapila and other saints and thinkers. Whosoever is rational and logical ought to be accepted 8". While describing the right faith Amrtacanda (c.early 10th cent. A.D.) condemns three types of idols namely superstitions relating deities, path and