World Religions Conference November 1957

Author(s): Sushil Muni
Publisher: Achal Singh Seth

Page 21

Background
The Jain teachers never raised their voice against free thinking and not only this, but have always tried to see Truth even in the varying, and apparently contradictory and even antagonistic teachings of different religions. To pervert the minds of others and to lead them astray has always been considered by them, as the most heinous crime and the greatest evil; while Righteousness alone as the fountain-head of God-knowledge and God-realisation. Truth is One though sages have described it variously. Every school of thought has some facet of truth in it and hence we ought to see the underlying truth in all-Unity and diversity, and this outlook will not only help us in the solution of all the religious problems but one can thereby successfully tackle even the social and political problems as well. In brief it is but necessary that our thoughts and conduct must originate from and be based upon and regulated by that Universal Truth which is atonce the source of pure love, selfless service, ahimsa and of the light of reason, discrimination and revelation of scientific knowledge.
Elimination of Racial Hatred
The Srutis or the Vedas, the Upnishadas, the Sutras and the Pittakas, one and all declare Life of Spirit' as the only true Dharma, as would be apparent from the following texts:
(1) Search true knowledge with all thy spirit
(Lord Mahavira). (2) Enjoy only that which comes from and is the result of detachment
(Upnishad)
(3) Detachment alone leads to the eternal Truth
(Rigveda)
(4) God is spirit and can be worshiped only in spirit
(Gospels)
Thus we see that all the scriptures tell us in one voice that True Peace and Life Everlasting are the fruits of tying or detachment.
Search Within
If we go deep into the teachings of Budha, Christ, Zoraster and Mohammad, we find that all of them accepted selfless service or sacrifice of the self as the only means of attaining eternal bliss and salvation. If we wish to see the Kingdom of God established on earth, we shall have to prepare ourselves for the sacrifice of all self interests.
The Conference of all religions, affords us easy opportunities for developing the spirit of toleration and co-existence, and paves the way for establishing one universal brotherhood, knitting all into one Great Family
of Man.
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