Dharm Ka Bij Aur Uska Vikas

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Dharm ka Bij aur Uska Vikas" (The Seed of Religion and Its Development) by Sukhlal Sanghavi:

The book begins by addressing the difficulty of defining religion. Lord Morley's observation that thousands of definitions exist yet fail to encompass all religions, including Buddhism and Jainism, highlights the inherent bias of definers who often base their definitions on their own sectarian beliefs. Whether one attempts to include the Quran, the Bible, or the Vedas, a truly universal definition remains elusive. Theistic definitions exclude atheistic religions, and vice-versa. Therefore, any definition of religion that relies on specific doctrines is inherently incomplete.

The author posits that true understanding of religion is not solely achievable through words. While words can offer a semblance of understanding, they cannot replace direct experience. Religion's essence arises from within, and words can only serve as a guide, not a substitute for lived experience. This essay aims to present a definition of religion based on universally observable realities, comprehensible to any intelligent person and inclusive of all faiths, rather than adhering to a particular sectarian viewpoint.

The core of the discussion then shifts to identifying the "seed" of religion. The author argues that this seed lies in the fundamental drive for survival (जिजीविषा - jijivisha) that exists in all living beings, from the smallest insects to humans. This drive for survival is intrinsically linked to an unconscious desire for happiness (सुखाभिलाषा - sukhābhilāṣā) and an innate aversion to suffering (दुःखके प्रतिकारकी इच्छामें - duḥkhake pratikārakī icchāme). It is within this confluence of the will to live, the desire for happiness, and the aversion to pain that the seed of religion is found.

The text further elaborates on the communal nature of existence. No living being can survive or thrive in isolation. All life forms, from ants and bees to birds and monkeys, naturally seek the support and companionship of their own kind. They experience happiness not only by receiving help from their community but also by offering it to others. This inherent tendency to form groups and support each other is crucial for the satisfaction of the will to live. If survival were purely an individual endeavor, religion would not have emerged. Therefore, the communal instinct (सामुदायिक वृत्ति - sāmudāyik vr̥tti), even in its rudimentary and unconscious form, is the fertile ground for the seed of religion.

As human consciousness develops, this communal instinct expands. An individual's affection and sense of belonging, initially limited to parents and family, grows to encompass their village, then their nation, and for some, the entire human race and even all sentient beings. This expansion of affection or sense of kinship (ममत्व या श्रात्मीय-भाव - mamatva yā ātmīya-bhāv) is referred to as attachment (मोह - moh) when it is limited and as love (प्रेम - prem) when it is boundless. The essence of religion is present in both attachment and love, but while attachment can sometimes lead to unrighteousness, love reveals the pure form of religion.

Humanity possesses the capacity for progressive development towards love-based religion. However, this same developmental force can be distorted, leading individuals to behave worse than animals, hence the coexistence of divine and demonic tendencies within humanity. Nevertheless, the author asserts that the highest and most complete manifestation of religious tendencies is found within the human soul.

The true religious impulse operates both within and beyond the confines of country, time, caste, language, attire, and customs. This universal operation is the full development of the seed of religion. This is echoed in the ancient Vedic saying: "Living a hundred years, one should perform actions" (कुर्वनेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेत् शतं समाः - kurvanēvēha karmāṇi jijīviṣēta śataṁ samāḥ). The essence of these actions is summarized as: "Enjoy what is given by means of renunciation, and do not covet anyone's wealth" (तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथाः मा गृधः कस्यचित् धनम् - tēna tyaktēna bhuñjīthāḥ mā gr̥dhaḥ kasyacit dhanam). In short, the inherent communal instinct should be developed wisely and through conscious effort to benefit all. This is the potential development of the seed of religion within humanity.

The text then explores the historical development of philosophical thought in relation to religion. It is observed that the desire for immortality, stemming from the will to live, is primarily focused on physical or bodily life in non-human creatures. They desire to live but do not contemplate life beyond their current physical existence. However, with the advent of human consciousness, this perspective broadened. Even if early humans had a limited outlook, over thousands of years, humanity began to look beyond current physical life. Dissatisfied with mere physical immortality, humans embraced the idea of post-mortem immortality (मरणोत्तर जिजीविषामूलक श्रमरत्व - maraṇōttara jijīviṣāmūlaka amarattva) and devised various means to achieve it, leading to practices like sacrifices, rituals, penances, meditation, devotion, pilgrimages, and charity.

Crucially, all these pursuits for immortality, whether individual or collective, are facilitated by communal tendencies and sentiments. Even seemingly solitary practices like meditation ultimately rely on the support of others, and enlightened individuals often transmit their accumulated spiritual experiences. Therefore, just as physical communal life is necessary, so too is a mental or spiritual communal life.

When the human desire for a long, heavenly afterlife was not fully satisfied, the concept of disembodied immortality (विदेह अमरत्व - vidēha amarattva) emerged. Efforts were made to achieve this, but the focus remained on individual immortality (वैयक्तिक अमरत्व - vaiyaktika amarattva), albeit still within the framework of communal interdependence. Even those seeking liberation actively worked for the liberation of others, forming communities of the liberated. This is the essence of the Mahayana or "all-liberation" (सर्व-मुक्ति - sarva-mukti) philosophy. The meaning of liberation evolved to the point where individual liberation was incomplete as long as even one being suffered or was bound by desires. Regardless of how far the aspiration for immortality has progressed beyond physical life, the interconnectedness of individual lives is never severed.

Finally, the text discusses the philosophical shift towards the concept of undivided or unbroken life (अखण्ड जीवन - akhaṇḍa jīvana) or Brahman (अखण्ड ब्रह्म - akhaṇḍa brahma), superseding the distinction of individual lives. It came to be believed that, despite apparent differences, all living beings, from insects to humans, and even inanimate creation, share a single, manifest or unmanifest life force – Brahman. In this view, no individual is truly separate from others, and thus, individual immortality merges into communal immortality.

In conclusion, whether viewed through the lens of individual lives or the unbroken life of Brahman, the fundamental realization is that communal tendencies are intrinsically embedded in individual life. The development of these communal tendencies within humanity is the most significant and ongoing process, shaping the evolution of religious paths. The Rishis' pronouncements on performing duty and practicing renunciation without coveting others' possessions encapsulate the purification of communal life and the ultimate development of religion, achievable through human conscience and effort. The author's own perspective on religion and society, as presented in the collected writings, aligns with this vision, acknowledging that while specific articles may appear tailored to particular audiences, the underlying principle of interconnectedness and communal well-being remains constant. Different expressions of the same truth are offered across various times and places.