(Reprinted from Jain Study Circular of January 1983)
The Jain religion is an integral part of Indian culture. Thus, we Jains should know our heritage. Here are two items:
Past:
William K. Stevens, in an article published in the New York Times of Tuesday, November 9, 1982, writes:
"Once, when the Roman Empire was dying, and much of classical learning lay in ashes, and the Dark Ages were descending on the West, there flourished on the plains of northern India not only the most civilized culture of its time, but also one of the most creative in history.
"There, under the Gupta emperors, 1000 years before Galileo and Kepler and Newton, Indian thinkers developed a revolutionary idea without which modern science could not exist: the concept of mathematical zero, along with the related system of numerals that is called Arabic but was, in fact, invented here. By the fifth century, an Indian had discovered the earth's axial rotation. Well before the Renaissance re-illuminated Europe, Indian mathematicians had explored the upland realms of quadratic equations and cube roots, had become the first to assign 3.1416 as the value of pi, and had mastered the concept of infinity. Throughout most of history, in fact, Indian science and Indian culture generally matched and at times exceeded anything anywhere else in the world.
"But then, conquered by foreigners and immersed in mysticism and worship of past, India lost its scientific vitality unfortunately, and somewhat ironically, just as the modern scientific-industrial revolution was beginning elsewhere. ..."
Present:
Actress Candice Bergen visited India recently for the shooting of the film on Mahatma Gandhi. In an interview on Good Morning America (ABC Television Network) on November 19, 1982, she commented about her impressions of the people of India. She said, "The Indian people have an infinite capacity for joy and happiness even in the face of poverty and destitution. It is remarkable that they have no fear of dying, no ego, no greed, no anger, and very little ambition." She added, "Here in the West, people have too much ego, ambition and greed."
Evidently, we will become better Jains if we remain Indian at heart. - D.C.J.