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Mahavira & Spiritual Discipline / 15
4. Betterment of Mankind
Lord Mahavira discarded pleasures of this world at a young age. He set a glorious example of the ideals of non-violence, universal brotherhood and spiritual welfare. He relinquished personal comforts of life to put up an inspirational effort to give direction to the modern world. He abstained from sexual pleasures. He emphasized that self-restraint is the key to world peace. For betterment of mankind, principles of morality, character building, ahimsa and self- discipline need to be highlighted by means of education. Education should facilitate the development of both the inner and the outer aspects of character. Primary requirement for personality development is self-analysis. For betterment of self, it is necessary to reconcile science and spiritualism. Science is not contradictory but complementary to spiritual knowledge. Mental concentration is not only affected by unnecessary thought but also by gravitational force. The concept of stratification of world order is itself a part of scientific research.
