Chetan Grantho

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Chetan Grantho" by Sukhlal Sanghavi:

This excerpt from "Chetan Grantho" (Living Scriptures/Works) by Sukhlal Sanghavi, published in "Darshan ane Chintan – Part 2," argues forcefully that the true purpose of publishing literature, whether ancient or modern, is not simply to reproduce it in its original form. Instead, publications should be infused with new currents of thought, making them relevant and useful for contemporary life. This means presenting authentic publications that honor history while offering a perspective beneficial for present-day living.

The author distinguishes between mere "granths" (books) and "chetan-granths" (living entities/people). He asserts that the primary need is to cultivate "chetan-granths," which he clarifies as scholars and thinkers, rather than just printing books. He criticizes the community for its neglect in this area, leading to a state of blind faith and superstition. While the modern era has somewhat sharpened understanding and perception, the community's actions haven't kept pace with this enhanced awareness.

Sanghavi criticizes the current state of institutions, describing them as rigid and bureaucratic, rendering individual efforts ineffective. He stresses that scattered institutions, even if differing in name, must foster unity, complementarity, and complete cooperation in their endeavors to achieve meaningful results.

The text then delves into the critical need for a strong economic foundation for those pursuing fields like philosophy and Indology. In a science-dominated era, it's questioned why anyone would choose philosophy over science. The current situation, where arts colleges are economically weak, jeopardizes the study of philosophy and Indology, which the author believes are crucial for societal welfare. He argues that individuals study not to be subservient but to become self-reliant. If the economic prospects of those in philosophy and Indology are poor, the field will attract only second-rate individuals, rendering thousands of such people or institutions ineffective.

Beyond economic stability, the author emphasizes the need for evaluating and respecting the work of those who engage with seemingly dry fields like philosophy. Currently, there's a lack of such recognition, leaving no room for appreciation. He illustrates this with an analogy: when choosing a groom for a daughter, a scientist would be preferred over a philosopher due to their perceived prestige and economic stability. While acknowledging the vital importance of philosophy, he points out that it doesn't receive the necessary practical recognition and economic standing. He warns that if this situation persists, the field of philosophy will face an "economic bankruptcy."

To address this, Sanghavi advocates for consolidating dispersed energies. He suggests shifting the focus from material possessions (like food items) to a focus on "bhava" (emotions/spirit/value). He questions the purpose of accumulating wealth if profound philosophical work isn't being done. He believes institutions should set limits on their finances, as money is useless without capable individuals. Therefore, he urges that as much money as possible should be spent on nurturing "chetan-granths" (people).

He laments that if the current trend of publishing "sattvahina, drishtihina, aur binu-upyogi" (without essence, without vision, and useless) literature continues, no one will read it, even if paid to do so. He believes that scholarly literature, rigorously researched, should have been published alongside the progress of Western research long ago. Now, albeit late, the community must synthesize the old with the present reality.

The author contrasts the Jain community with the Brahman community, noting that the latter still exhibits respect and reverence for knowledge and scholars. He points to the elevated status of a learned scholar over even a spiritual leader like Jagadguru Shankaracharya as an example of this respect. He highlights the prestige of knowledge at Calcutta University. In contrast, he observes that in the Jain community, prestige is given to dry rituals, not to knowledge, which he deems unfortunate. It appears as if the community is indifferent to living individuals. The only solution to this, he states, is to cultivate "chetan" (people).

Regarding history, the author criticizes the tendency to merely offer praise. He believes history should encompass both the good and the bad, the complete and the incomplete, to prevent future mistakes and contribute to new creation.

A significant concern for him is the lack of preparedness and intent to maintain what the community possesses. He observes a tendency for individuals to establish their own small institutions based on personal preferences, creating a "web of illusion." Instead of building new temples, he advocates for spending money on means conducive to character development. This, he believes, will foster people – "chetan-granths" – who are conducive to new creation.

He then calls for a "chetan-granth" within the Jain community, like Shri Nanabhai Bhatt of Dakshinamurti, around whom students would gather for knowledge. He discourages individuals from solely focusing on their immediate surroundings and ignoring ideal educational centers elsewhere. Instead, he urges them to work at existing ideal educational centers and draw genuine inspiration from them, thereby elevating the standard of knowledge. He states that while there are many spiritual leaders ("suris"), true "suris" are those who can work in public institutions.

In conclusion, he implores the audience to think about the future of students pursuing knowledge with the same care they think about their own sons' futures. To elevate the status of the ascetic class and maintain their prestige in the future, he offers a single message: "chetan-granths" (people) will be the source of self-motivation for the ascetic class, and they will naturally prepare themselves on that path.

The excerpt is dated November 1, 1947, from "Prabuddha Vana."