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Mahā vira and His Relevance
word that sums up the whole of Jain ethics is Ahimsā which inspires a Jain for active social service and makes him to pray for the good of the all. “Let there be rain in every proper season. Let diseases die and famine and theft be nowhere. Let the Law of Jaina give all happiness to all the living beings of the world”.
The vow of truth enjoins upon the ascetic that he will not resort to falsity either for his own sake or for the sake of others through fear or frown. Even the truth that hurts others is no truth.5
The Asteya is an ethical discipline of neither accepting or causing to accept even the most insignificant thing without the permission of the owner nor approving such an act of stealing the articles which belong to others.
The ethical vow of Brahmacarya is the cultivation of good moral character, of celibate life renouncing all forms of sensuous pleasures and company of prostitutes or concubines. “Wine, meat, gambling, erotic music with song and dance, personal decoration intoxication, libertines and aimless wanderings, these ten are the concomitants of sexual passion”. 26
Parigraha is characterised by attachment to worldly gains. Problems of modern Indian society, nay, of all the nations are rooted in the spirit of acquisition.
The world today is divided into two classes of exploiters and the exploited. There will be no final redemption from this evil unless the vow of Aparigraha is observed both in letter and spirit. Greed for amassing the wealth, hoarding of goods of social need, cornering the material and intellectual wealth of the world for the good of one against others mark our age. Parigraha (acqủisition) has resulted in the depletion of natural resources and pollution of atmosphere. The mankind faces in near future the problem of its extinction. Scientists are worried over the environmental catastrophy. What has brought about this sorry state of affiairs in the planet which has been ruled since long by scientific slogan os conquest of nature which has been achieved through fierce spirit of competition and unprincepled greed and suicidal violence ?
As a result of violence (Hiṁsā), falsity (Asatya) of various ideologies base on some or the other kind of violence, enslavement Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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| SR No. | 001595 |
| Book Title | Bhagavana Mahavira and his Relevance in Modern Times |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Narendra Bhanavat, Prem Suman Jain, V P Bhatt |
| Publisher | Akhil Bharat Varshiya Sadhumargi Jain Sangh |
| Publication Year | 1976 |
| Total Pages | 236 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English, Philosophy, Discourse, & Articles |
| File Size | 13 MB |