What is Jainism

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Champat Rai Jain

Page 91

THE RIGHT SOLUTION
81
wide, on account of its fascinating imagery. But as people are not born with an understanding of the allegorical symbolism, there came a time when the generality of men failed to understand the purport of the diverse gods and goddesses and other forms of allegorical symbols whose number in Hinduism alone rose to something like 330,000,000. The ignorant masses then interpreted the sacred writings in their literal or historical sense, and being in power, by the force of their numbers, began to ill-treat those who preached to the contrary. In course of time, the multitude of gods and goddesses gave place, in the imagination of the masses, to one god who came to be regarded as the maker and creator of the world and all that it contained. It is this conception of godhood which has caused all the trouble that has arisen in the past in the world in the name of religion, and it is it also that is responsible for the conflict between Science and Religion that has been referred to in the opening remarks in this note. About two thousand years ago the misunderstanding between the knowers of the Truth Divine and the uninitiated, uninstructed masses had risen to the point of bitter enmity, and the knowers of truth were subjected to all conceivable forms of molestation and violence.* The mystics thus found themselves afraid to speak and yet compelled to practise and preach. They then adopted various secret methods of preaching and practising their faith, some holding their assemblies behind closed and guarded doors. As for the masses, they cared nothing for the outpourings of the mystics so long as these did not
* Cf. "These things beloved, we impart to you with fear and yet readily on account of the love of Christ which surpasseth all. For if the blessed prophets who preceded us did not choose to proclaim these things, though they knew them openly and boldly, lest they should disquiet the souls of men, but recounted them mystically in parables and dark sayings, how much greater risk shall we run in venturing to declare openly things spoken them in obscure terms."-Ante Nicene Ch. Library, vol. iv, 2nd part (Hipolytus).
"For it is not required to unfold the mystery, but only to indicate what is sufficient for those who are partakers in knowledge to bring it to mind."-A.N.C. Lib. xii. 472 (Clement).
46
a person favoured by Providence with reason to understand these mysteries is forbidden by Law to teach them, except viva voce, and on the condition that the pupil possess certain qualifications, and even then only the heads of the sections may be communicated. This has been the cause why knowledge has entirely disappeared from our nation, and nothing has remained of it."-The Guide for the Perplexed, by Moses Maimonides, p. 251.
6