Science Discovers Eternal Wisdom

Author(s): Amarendravijay, J D Lodaya, Bhuvanchandra
Publisher: Jain Sahitya Academy

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Publisher's Note
The present organisation owes its inception to a pair of prominent personalities of the Jain community of Gandhidham, Shri Devjibhai and Shri Nanjibhai Shah, the founders of Shah Engineering Co. of Gandhidham and worthy sons of Late Shri Champsibhai Shah, a business magnate hailing from Merau village (Mandvi-Kutch). Their handsome offer of Rs. 1.5 lakhs as donation for promoting publication of Jain literary works of merit set the ball rolling towards the formation of Jain Sahitya Academy by us at Gandhidham.
Jainism that once presented to this world the unique concept of multi-dimensional viewpoint (Syadvada) and propounded it as an integral part of its philosophy and rationale appears to be losing ground as the most rational and scientifically evolved school of religious thought; this has come to pass because intellectual stagnation and ideological isolation have pushed the present followers of Jainism into an abyss of insularity, narrowmindedness and parochialism in their approach to life as reflected in their words and deeds. The logic and rationality associated with the wide-angle view of the world as enunciated by Syadvada-the hallmark of Jain literary tradition
has become a thing of the past. This becomes particularly relevant in the present-day context of scientific temper pervading all walks of life and attempts by all other religions to open out and make a common cause of spiritual upliftment of the humanity. This wind of change is sweeping across the continents with lowering of geo-cultural barriers through globalisation of communication channels made possible by modern science. In contrast, the bulk of the publications churned out in the name of Jain literary tradition is so pedestrian in its thought-content and banal in form that it is no better than the paperback pulp peddled as literature by pen-pushers and plagiarists. The penalty that we have to pay for this profligate publishing may amount to a staggering sum; such colossal
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