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All this shows that, inspite of scientific achievements, man has lost sight of the ultimate values of life. The question : Can science not teach us the values of life? The answer is: It can not teach us this aspect of life. The value aspect of life is left beyond the reach of scientific method, since it concentrates on the observation of facts and arrives at some general laws on their basis. Thus science is a value free pursuit. By the very nature of scientific enquiry the realm of values is excluded from its scope. Value judgments differ in nature from factual judgments. In point of fact, scientific method is incapable of proclaiming what is good or bad, right or wrong, just or unjust and so on. For making these values of life intelligible moral philosophy is to be pursued. Beyond good and bad lie spiritual values of religion which is inclusive of both the moral and spiritual values of life. This shows that religion is not to be confounded with morality. For the proper development of man, the use of scientific achievements should be made in consonance with the moral and spiritual values. It shows us the direction in which man has to move for making sustained progress with the help of science.
It is significant to note that the rise of Jainism as a religion is a marked phenomenon in the spiritual history of mankind. It is one of the oldest living religions of the world. It represents the continuation of indigenous Śramanic culture which is as old as the Vedas themselves. According to Jaina tradition, Jainism owes its rise to Rsabha, the first of the twenty-four Tīrthankaras. The last two Tīrthankaras, namely Pārśva (91h Century B.C.) and Mahāvīra (6th Century B.C.) are historical figures. In this way Jainism has its source in the spiritual Utterances of the great personalities. These extraordinary individuals proclaim a religion which has a
Spiritual Awakening (Samyagdarśana) and Other Essays
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