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maintains that naturalism (Prakrtivāda) of Sānkhya and Isvara Kartrtvavāda of the Nyaya school is also true and justified, if viewed from certain stand point. Further, the epithets such as the great saint (Mahamuni), the venerable (Arhat), the good physician (Suvaidya) used by him for Buddha and for Kapila shows his generosity and deference to other religious leaders. Haribhadra's crusade against sectarianism is unique and admirable in the history of world-religions.
Alongwith these literary evidences there are some epigraphical evidences of religious tolerance of the Jainas also. Some Jaina Ācāryas such as Ramkirti and Jaymangalasuri wrote the hymns in the praise of Tokalji and goddess Camunda. Jaina kings such as Kumarpala, Visnu Vardhana and others constructed the temples of Siva and Visnu along with the temple of Jina.
Finally, I would like to mention that Jainism has a sound philosophical foundation for religious tolerance and throughout the age, it practically never indulged in aggressive wars in the name of religion nor did they invoke divine sanction for cruelties against the people of alien faiths. They have always believed in religious harmony and fellowship of faiths.
Though generally Jainas do classify religions in the heretic view (Mithya-drsti) and non-heretic view (Samyak-drsti) yet, Mithyā-drsti, according to them, is one who possesses one-sided view and considers others as totally false, while Samyak-drsti is the one who is unprejudiced and sees the truth in his opponents' views also. It is interesting to note here that Jainism calls itself a union of heretic views, (Micchadamsana-Samuha).
Ācārya Siddhasena (5th century A.D.) mentions "Be glorious the teachings of Jina which are the union of all heretic views” i.e. the organic synthesis of one sided and partial views,
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Jainism and its History
| SR No. | 032590 |
| Book Title | Jainism And Its History |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Sagarmal Jain |
| Publisher | Research Foundation for Jainology |
| Publication Year | 2018 |
| Total Pages | 328 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 34 MB |