Sambodhi 1998 Vol 22

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 98

Vol XXII, 1998
IMPACT OF JAINISTIC PERCEPTIONS ON SOCIETY
87
pollution, economic disparity and politics of government, war and peace etc It is seen that the above triads have had large impact on improving the mentality and actions of individuals in the society in the past their impact is a tr-timal phenomena They have potency and pregnancy for better present and future of practised honestly The Jaina ascetics are the crest of the fourfold Jinistic order They command and control social and religious life of the community They have influences royalties, army commanders and nich men in the past Their sermons for reveronce of life and love have changed the course of life of many heretics and sinners as could be clear from the early Jaina texts They were instrumental in establishing non-violent royalties in many parts of India They promoted the concept of non-absolutism through academic debates Ācārya Bhadrabāhu, Arya Suhasti, Samantabhadra, Akalanka, Bappabhatti, Simhanandı, Sudatta, Śılagunasün, Acārya Tulasi and Vidyāsāgara, Hemcandra and Hīrvijayjī and others have moulded the public and royalities to the path of these triads The institutions of ascetics still continues to hold similar position even today The politicians and richmen still seek their blessings and advice on many national and social problems of modern life The Jinistic perceptions have a large impact on common men to practice the triadic path for prosperity, progress and peace physically and spiritually It seems that most of the people of the world are Jainas without proclamation as they realise the truth of these triads and follow them as far as possible That is why, Tobias' has pointed out that the practice of non-violent way of life has given a viable alternative towards these objectives Their non-violent businesses prove the fact that non-violence can be economically more frutful Though he points out that nobody could be totally non-violent and a theory always breaks down in practice to a certain extent, but Jinistic perceptions are ethically realistic and practically workable under some restrictions The Jainas have had a large impact on their life style in this country and abroad in the past and present. A summary of such impact has been brought out by GP Jain recently Impact of Society : (a) Action-based Caste System The general society of the east has been stricken with many traditional problems thwarting its overall physical and spiritual progress The birth-based caste system is one of them Though it seems to have been based on division of labour in the society but it lacked mutational progress and encouraged conservatism and self-pride The Jaina system has no place for it as all human beings--nay all living beings are equal and similar in potency of progress That is why the