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INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE IN JAINISM
Dr. Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar. D.Litt
Conceptual clashes and religious conflicts have been the natural phenomena in the history of human society since time immemorial. Under the spirit of religious intolerance a particular group of a particular religion or sect committed unfortunately the most heinous and atrocious inhuman activities and crushed the morality and welfare of the society. In the name of religion the societies and nations used to have been indulged into blood-shedding and ethnic riots, deviation from prescribed rules of morality, atrocity, outrage and transgration due to being incapable in comprehending the true nature of reality and religion.
Ours is an age of intellectual drafts and selfish giants. We are so elated at our achievements, small or big, that we attribute to ourselves all the good qualities of head and heart. We regard ourselves as extra ordinarily unsual. We are so sure of our righteousness that anybody who differs from us is promptly labelled as imbecelic. Honest divergence of opinion has become a rare commodity. Our egoistic tendency and mean mentality cause us to disregard other conceptions and notions. Further on account of our materialistic and atheistic tendencies we are unable to overcome the social problems that are staring us in the face.
The clashes and conflicts that around the world are due mainly to the dirth of economic equality, sound ecclesiastic outlook, tolerance and humility. On such grounds Marx considered religion opium and recognised it an instrument for atrocity on humanity. Napolian, Musolini and others committed such atrocities. The real threat to the world-peace comes from superstitious or suffen idelogical gulf which exists between one nation and another, between one people and another. It is the doctrine of Anekantavada and Syadvada that can sound the death-knell of this ideological conflict and establish the interreligious diologue.
The progenitor question is whether there can be manifold and numerous religions. The reply to the specific question may be made through relative standpoint. Religion is relatively one and many. But the object of all the religions is one and the same, i.e. the detachment with materialistic world, attainment of spiritual delight and emancipation from karmic matter. Attachment, greed, bate, antipathy, rage, deception, arrogance, megalomania etc. are recognised as the rudiments of immoral deeds in all religons. They are main instruments which invite the mental disturbance, social contempt and quarrels between men and men, between nation and nation. Therefore, all the religions are unanimously of view that such elments should be overthrown from the mind of individual and society. Then the difference and unlikeness of opinion regarding religous point and other conceptions start with the line of action as to how the aim and object could be achieved. The spiritual practices, as a matter of fact, create distinctions and separate the society from one to another. But mere doctrinal difference cannot be recognised a base for religious hostility and contravention. The spiritual practices cannot be totally contradicted. Unless one becomes demon and devil, the religion cannot be made a tool for ethnic activities. All the spiritual practices are practically prone to achieve one and the same object. It is mathematical truth that even the
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