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BHAGWAN MAHAVIRA'S AHIMSA
AND WORLD PEACE
S. C. Diwakar
It is remarkable that the Jain tenets although very ancient are also most modern and up-to-date. The doctrine of Ahiṁsā and its rational, scientific and practical exposition in Jainism is unique and unparalleled in the history of human thought. This doctrine has attracted the attention of the entire globe due to its successful application in liberating India from the foreign domination by the struggle for emancipation based upon the principle of Ahimsa - nonviolence. Mahatma Gandhi while presiding over a Jain function celebrating the birthday of Lord Mahāvīra at Ahmedabad in 1920 had paid glowing tributes to this Jain doctrine and had added that because of this ennobling and golden gospel of compassion Jainism can become the religion of the whole world. It is a matter of profound gratification that almost all religions of the world accept the superiority and majesty of this noble doctrine. The doctrine of non-violence, therefore, is the unique and most sublime contribution of Jainism to humanity.
According to Romain Rolland, “The rishis, who discovered the law of non-violence in the midst of violence were greater geniuses than Newton, greater warriors than Wellington. Non-violence is the law of our species as violence is the law of brute”. This basic principle of Jainism had much influenced Gandhiji from his boyhood. In his book “Mahatma Gandhi" Romain Rolland says, “His parents were the followers of the Jain school. Before leaving India his mother made him take the three vows of a Jain which prescribe abstention from wine, meat and sexual intercourse."
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