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16 / Lord Mahavira
5.
Spirituality & Ahimsa
Attachment and aversion are the root cause of evils. Detachment and non-aversion are the starting fronts of ahimsa. Ahimsa does not mean merely refraining from killing. There in no ahimsa unless aversions and attachments have been got rid of. Ahimsa involves putting an end to all thoughts and intentions leading to himsa. In ahimsa, the act is immaterial, it is the source of acts which counts. There is no enemy outside us. We ourselves are our own enemies. It is our soul which is responsible for our own bondage or freedom, happiness or misery. The key to getting rid of non-violence is introspection. As soon as we start seeing ourselves, we move further and further from violence. It is important to value the lives of others to understand the concept of ahimsa. Exploitation, which is an inherent part of Industrialisation is the major cause of himsa. Pure ends can be achieved only by the employment of pure means. Self-discipline is an essential prerequisite for ahimsa to prevail.
