Dharm Aur Uske Dhyey Ki Pariksha

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Dharm aur Uske Dhyey ki Pariksha" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, based on the provided pages:

Title: Dharm aur Uske Dhyey ki Pariksha (An Examination of Religion and Its Goals) Author: Sukhlal Sanghavi Publisher: Z_Dharma_aur_Samaj_001072.pdf Catalog Link: https://jainqq.org/explore/229203/1

This book, "An Examination of Religion and Its Goals," by Sukhlal Sanghavi, delves into the nature of religion, the disagreements surrounding its practices, and the true purpose behind its existence. The author argues that just as education illuminates its own path, religion must also be subjected to rigorous examination to dispel doubts and clarify its essence.

Key Themes and Arguments:

1. The Necessity of Examining Religion:

   • Sanghavi posits that thought (vichar) is the father, friend, and subject of religion. Without thought, religion cannot originate or flourish.
   • Religion that does not stimulate and nourish thought is essentially killing itself. Therefore, examining religion is akin to giving it life.
   • While governmental systems might fear scrutiny that could destabilize them, religion, thankfully, does not face such external threats.

2. The True Dangers in Examining Religion:

   • The author identifies the real dangers in religious examination:
     • Lack of investigative capacity in the examiner: This includes insufficient thinking power and a lack of impartiality.
     • Absence of capable listeners: There must be an audience that can properly assess the examination.
     • Self-interest (Svarth): This is the primary threat. If one begins to analyze religion driven by self-interest or the fear of losing it, they cannot be just in their examination. Extreme caution is therefore necessary.

3. The Universal Desire for Goodness:

   • Sanghavi observes that even staunch opponents of religion, like Russian communists, do not openly advocate for the destruction of virtues like compassion, truth, contentment, renunciation, love, and forgiveness.
   • Conversely, devout religious individuals from any path would not wish to promote vices like falsehood, hypocrisy, anger, violence, or misconduct.
   • The core agreement between seemingly opposing groups lies in the shared aspiration to nurture good qualities and eliminate bad ones.

4. The Root of Disagreement: External Practices vs. Inner Qualities:

   • If there is agreement on inner virtues and vices, why the intense conflict and debate between traditionalists and reformers regarding "religion"?
   • The author clarifies that the disagreement is not about the inner, subtle virtues or good conduct (sadvritti).
   • The conflict arises from external practices, behaviors, customs, and rituals that are popularly accepted or practiced in the name of religion. These external aspects are the subject of contention, and this debate is as old as human history.

5. Categorization of Disagreements in External Practices:

   • Sanghavi categorizes these external practices and the resulting disagreements into three areas:
     • Personal Rules (Vyakti Niyam): These relate to individual choices in diet, bathing, etc. For example, one group considers eating root vegetables irreligious, while another finds it acceptable while observing a fast. Views on eating at night or the religious significance of bathing also differ.
     • Social External Behaviors (Samajik Bahya Vyavahar): This includes actions like temple construction, which one group sees as religious merit and another as irreligious opposition. Even within societies that accept temples, there are disputes over worshipping specific deities or the depiction of deities (e.g., clothed vs. unclothed). Marriage customs, like multiple marriages or marrying within the same clan, and practices like animal sacrifice or its prohibition, also fall here.
     • Practices Affecting the General Public (Samast Janata ke Saath Sambandhit Prathayein): These are practices with broader societal implications. Examples include the religious significance of killing animals like rats (as plague carriers) or dangerous beasts for public welfare, or the act of polluting public spaces versus maintaining their cleanliness.

6. The True Criterion for Religious Practices:

   • Sanghavi asserts that there is no external practice, ritual, or custom that can be definitively declared "religious" or "irreligious" for all people, in all societies, or for all time.
   • The religiousness or irreligiousness of external practices depends solely on the sincerity (nishtha) and authentic intellect (pramanik buddhi) of the person observing them.
   • Both pure (shubh) and impure (ashubh) intentions can lead to the same or opposing actions. For instance, one group might find religious merit in temple construction with pure intent, while another might see merit in opposing it with equally pure intent to redirect resources.
   • Similarly, a practice might stem from pure intention (e.g., aiding a widow) or impure intention (e.g., personal gain).

7. The Distinction Between Essential and External Religion:

   • The author proposes that religion has two aspects:
     • The Essential/Philosophical (Tatvik): This refers to the inherent virtues, where there is generally no disagreement.
     • The Practical/External (Vyavaharik): This refers to outward conduct and rituals, where disagreements are inevitable.
   • Those who clearly understand the distinction between these two and their interrelationship can navigate practical disagreements without suffering.

8. The True Essence of Jainism: Dev, Guru, Dharm:

   • According to Jain tradition, the philosophical core of religion lies in three elements:
     • Dev (Deity): The state of the soul being completely free from flaws and impurities.
     • Guru (Preceptor): The true spiritual practice undertaken to achieve that state of purity.
     • Dharm (Religion/Righteousness): All forms of judicious and authentic restraint (sanyam).
   • These three are the "soul" of Jainism, and the emotions that protect and nourish them are its "body." External practices like temples, idols, worship, food rules, and conduct codes are the "clothes and ornaments" of this spiritual body.

9. Critique of Fearful Opposition to Reform:

   • Sanghavi criticizes the fearful reaction of some to changes or reforms in external religious practices, likening it to a child or young woman clinging to ill-fitting or harmful clothes or hair.
   • He questions whether established religious scholars truly understand the relationship between essential and practical religion, or if their intolerance leads them to mistake changes in external practices for the destruction of the essence.
   • He suggests that this reaction often stems from a life of ease and habituated ways, where practical religious practices, due to popular devotion, provide a comfortable living without personal effort. They then incite the less discerning to create a commotion to protect this status quo.

10. The Flaw in Equating External Practices with Eternal Truth:

    • Traditionalist scholars who declare their religion as timeless and eternal, yet cry "destruction of religion" when opposed, are accused of self-contradiction.
    • Sanghavi argues that if a religion is truly eternal, it should not be threatened by differing opinions. If it is so fragile that mere thought can destroy it, then it will perish regardless of safeguards. Therefore, their efforts to create alarm are ultimately futile.

11. The Examination of Religion's Goals:

    • This is intrinsically linked to the examination of religion itself.
    • The author contrasts the "believer" (aastik) with the "materialist/hedonist" (Charvaka). Believers accuse Charvakas of being atheists because they deny any existence beyond this life, thus rejecting karma, moral responsibility, and long-term vision in favor of immediate, selfish pleasure.
    • Sanghavi explains the karma-vadi (believer in karma) principle: life continues beyond the current birth. Every action, good or bad, has a cause planted in past or present lives and will produce results. This perspective encompasses past, present, and future, providing a broader vision than the Charvaka's focus solely on the present.

12. The Practical Failure of Both Charvaka and "Believer" Philosophies:

    • The text argues that mere verbal adherence to a philosophy doesn't prove its superiority. True merit is tested in practice.
    • Charvakas, with their limited view, fail to fulfill their duties, both personal and social, prioritizing their own narrow pleasures. They may exploit societal benefits without contributing to them.
    • Similarly, many who claim to be "believers" (believers in afterlife/karma) also neglect their responsibilities. They may verbally acknowledge the afterlife but behave like Charvakas, failing to live up to their principles. This is due to a misunderstanding of the principle itself.
    • The author highlights a "reversal" (viparyas) where individuals might claim to focus on the afterlife but neglect present duties, viewing them as fleeting or unimportant in the pursuit of future rewards. This leads to a cycle of neglecting the present for a perceived future, which in turn becomes the present, only to be neglected again.

13. The Case of the Jain Society:

    • Sanghavi points to the Jain community as an example. While claiming to believe in and pursue the afterlife, their practices often fail to even achieve the worldly comforts that Charvakas might, due to a lack of engagement and effort.
    • An analogy is used of two train passengers: a Charvaka occupying more space for his comfort without regard for others, and a Jain passenger finding a dirty seat and accepting it with a mantra ("Arhant" remembrance) rather than cleaning it or seeking a better option, thus failing to improve his immediate situation.
    • This demonstrates how both philosophies, when misapplied, lead to a failure in fulfilling present responsibilities, even to the detriment of one's own well-being and the well-being of others.

14. The True Goal of Religion:

    • The author concludes that the ultimate goal of religion should not be solely the pursuit of present pleasure (as in Charvaka) or the sole focus on improving the afterlife.
    • The true and most beneficial goal for individuals and society is the proper understanding of personal and collective duties, a sincere commitment to those responsibilities, and the awakening of effort (purusharth) to fulfill them.
    • If this understanding of duty, responsibility, and effort is prioritized, regardless of whether one is a Charvaka or a believer in the afterlife, they will contribute to a more prosperous and fulfilling life for themselves and their society.
    • Even Charvakas, with their focus on well-being, can create a better society if they also cultivate a sense of duty and responsibility towards others.
    • The author emphasizes that the Jain community, by focusing excessively on asceticism (tyagashram) over the responsibilities of householder life (grihasthashram), has fostered disarray. Accepting the proposed goal of duty and effort would naturally lead to a proper Ashram system and the development of the Jain youth.

In essence, Sukhlal Sanghavi's "Dharm aur Uske Dhyey ki Pariksha" is a profound call for introspection within religious practice. It argues that true religiosity lies not in blind adherence to external rituals but in understanding the underlying virtues and in actively fulfilling one's duties with sincere effort and responsibility. The book challenges readers to move beyond superficial interpretations and embrace a practical, duty-bound approach to religion that benefits both the individual and society.