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ism and comparative religion. She started a 'School of Jain studies' which continued for some time. The atten tion of the Christian intellectuals was directed towards the bidden meaning of Bible and a movement called "I am Movement" came into existence, whose members live a atriot vegetarian life and believe in the divinity of soul like Jainism. Nowadays Mrs. Kleinschmidt and some other aspirants are distributing Jain Literature, which they receive from The World Jain Mission of India.
6 Arabia-In fact Arabia and Central Asia were great strongholds of the Jainas at one time. The Mauryan Emperor Samprati, who was a devout Jain, sent Jaina missionaries to these countries', and they were successful in their sacred endeavours, for, we are told that at the time of the advent of Islam in those countries and also when Arabia was attacked by the king of Persia, the Arab Jainas were persecuted, which forced them to migrate to and settle in some Southern parts of India2. Like Arabs, the Jainas of South are styled as 'Sonakas' in some places in the Tamil Literature. No doubt it is a fact that a free trade was carried on between India and Arabia in ancient times, and as such Jainas must have participated in it.
7 Burma-Which was known by the name of Suwarnadvipa to ancient Indians, has maintained cordial relations with India since pre-historical period. While Charudatta was out on a trade expedition, he went to Suwarnadvipa by crossing Airawati (Irrawady) river and
1. Parishista Parva, Pt II. pp. 115-124.
2. "Formerly they (Jains) were very numerous in Arabia, but that about 2500 years ago, a terrible persecution took place at Mecca by orders of a king named Parshwa Bhattaraka which forced great numbers to come to this country.
-Asiatic Researches, Vol IX, P. 284. The name of the king Parshwa seems to be the corrupt form of Paraya, which means Persia.
See-Jain Siddhant Bhaskar, Vol XVII, pp: 83-85.
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