Sambodhi 1998 Vol 22

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

Page 99

88
NL JAIN
SAMBODHI
Jainas have been originating from all traditional castes and ethnic groups without proselytisation Of course, it agrees to work-based caste system which has the modern form of professional class system as in the west of today There is no bar for anybody to modify or move for better and better class of professions Even the Govt today is encouraging this process. It is due to homogenisation of heteregeneous groups that a society of highest morals and least crime rates and offences has developed There have been virtually the class and religious conflicts of Jainas with others as are observed in current days Per chance, these are due to their supremacy concepts or political ambitions which the Jainas do not have. They have been the neutral components of the society and adjustable with all because of their non-violent attitudes This point has restricted their promotion far and wide but it now seems to be the toch bearer for a better society and human race of the future and twenty first century. The Jainas go beyond the carnivere mentality of the west They favour peace and love ever war and hatred. This system has never deviated from the tradic concepts and that is why it remains as one of the best living religions of the world The pacifist doctrine of non-violence was unknown in the west until about 12th century Since then, it has been making high in roads and now it has become one of the major roads of their life and culture The birth-based caste system, hence, does not find any place there The Jaina system points out that one's outlook should be four-foldly tuned substantively, regionally, temporally and modally. This is ascertained by the fact that Jaina seers have added, modified, redefined many theoretical and practical issues for necessary tunings with times indicating their attitude of scientificity There has, thus, never been fundamentalist attitude in them which has been oi is there in other systems and decried by the conscientious intelligensia. The intellectually equalitarian and polyviewistic training gives accommodation capacity in the society for alleviating birth-based theories and sectarianism and promoting tolerance and harmony This training is the need of the day This training of the Janas has a great impact on their continued preservation. (b) Equal Status and Potency of Women It is unfortunate that the patriarchial society has always been non-genuine towards women folk in general despite some better litanic or biographical references The Mahāvīran age had the traditional society where they were taken even as a marketable commodity They were taken as property He