The Jain 1988 07

Author(s): Natubhai Shah
Publisher: UK Jain Samaj Europe

Page 96

culture, he is of course an Indian Jain by birth Jainism in Western Garb deserves to be better and upbringing.
known. Herbert Warren's portrait in the Indian of an old studio photograph, shows a serious edition of 1983, a slightly blurred reproduction bespectacled man with the heavy moustache and high stiff collar of his day. His book, however, has not dated. He is cautious in asserting facts which will be challenged if presented dogmatically in a small book intended for the general reader. 'It is claimed' he says 'of the Jain spiritual leaders that they
were omniscient... The Jain scriptures are
claimed to be the historical records of the lives leaders; and it is from these scriptures that the and teachings of these omniscient spiritual
Jain doctrines are taken'.
It is difficult to understand the lack of appeal which Jainism has had for the Westerner, even in recent years when the study of Indian religion at the popular level has advanced greatly in Europe. Jains and their faith are very little known in Britain. For those who do take more than a transient interest, Jainism appears at first as difficult and rather esoteric. The Jains are not
inclined, on the whole, to believe that other
people want to know about their religion. Those who do get into the subject find that Jainism is indeed fascinating as a study detached from
commitment, but more than that, of a value at least equal to that of any other Easterrn religion as a guide to conduct and an explanation of life and the universe.
THE
jain___
With this caution, 'it is claimed' out of the way, Herbert Warren can continue to describe the
One who did take a deeper than average religion he so obviously admires and loves.
interest in Jainism was Herbert Warren, who was Honorary Secretary, and it seems the leading member, of the Jaina Literature Society of London which existed in the earlier years of this century. His mentor was Virchand Raghavji Gandhi, an Indian lawyer who represented the Jain faith at the Congress of World Religions held in Chicago in 1893, and who subsequently gave a series of talks in London arranged by Mr Warren. Shri Gandhi died at an early age in 1901 but his lectures formed the basis of Herbert Warren's book Jainism in Western Garb, as a Solution to Life's Great Problems, published in 1912.
Apart from any question as to whence the doctrines have come, however, they stand on their own merits and are in themselves comforting and satisfactory. They protect the soul from evil, they fulfil the requirements of the heart, will bear the severest scrutiny of the intellect, and they give freedom to the individual - there are no commands to obey. Religion is the act of bringing one's own life up to an accepted standard of excellence morally and spiritually, and these doctrines offer such a standard; they are a serious concern for man in his relations with his fellow human beings, and in relation to his own future state of life in eternity; and they show him how to relieve others and himself of misery, and how to increase happiness in himself and in others.
We cannot say, unfortunately, that this small book burst like a blinding light on the society of its day. It has gone through a number of editions, in Britain and India, but has had modest sales and gathers dust among the handful of books on Jainism which is all the average fairly large library can muster. The Jaina Literature Society seems to have disappeared without trace (while by contrast the Buddhist Society of London, founded by Christmas I would not be easy to epitomise Jainism more Humphreys, continues to flourish). completely and more succinctly.
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