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Conversion
Some people question. Are the Jains Hindus or not? It is a complicated question and similar should be its solution. Jainism is no caste It is a religion (dharma), a metaphysics, a system Indians have created many religions The two main branches are shramana and Vedic Shramana religion is based on thoughts conceived by man while the Vedic system relles on God-ordained Vedas If the question were Are the Jains Vedic or not? or Are the Vedics Jain or not? Or Are the Buddhists Vedic or not? the answer could be easily offered. Jains are not Vedic and Vedics are not Jain The two are inspired by different ideologies Hence they are not identical However, both are Hindus Hinduism is a caste Jainism and Vedic ideologies are not castes These are systems of thought. If we revert to the age of Lord Mahavira we find numerous religions existing in one family A husband would be Vedic and his wife Jain or vice versa Or a husband would be a Buddhist while his wife Jain or a husband would be Ajiwake (a sect established by Goushalaka Mekhaliputra) and his wife a Buddhist Adoption of a religion did not hamper their matrimonial life Conversion was very common A Jain would adopt Buddhism and vice versa A Jain would become Vedic and vice versa. It was not conversion but only an ideological change Amongst Indian castes such new adoption of ideologies was freely allowed King Pradeshi was an atheist He did not subscribe to posthumous existence and reincarnation.
