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MAHAVIRA AND ECONOMICS
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earth, he started piercing holes in the sky. Man had enough resources which would have been sufficient for consumption even for generations. We had seen with our own eyes houses where gold was stored in walls, but they all were ruined. Their progeny lost everything by their own deeds.
We are no worshippers of distress, no worshippers of poverty, but are also, at the same time, no worshippers of truncated prosperity. Prosperity stimulates luxury, and distress increases cruelty. Luxury and cruelty are both sins. We are worshippers of the middle course. Gandhiji was highly educated. He was a barrister. He could have achieved everything. But he did not go after all that. He was a strong socialist. He used to say that until all members of the society benefit, how can he alone enjoy? One child told him why did he wear only such a small strip of cloth, his mother could make a good dress for him. Gandhi explained that one dress would not do. When, three hundred million dresses are available for all people, then I would wear a full dress.
Emotional Experience of Conformity
Let me tell you my experience. I sent one team of saints to Saurashtra for philanthropic purposes. However, the circumstances so developed that it became difficult for them to get food and a place to live. I got the information that the saints were experiencing difficulty in getting even food and water. A thought came to my mind that by sending them there I did not do the right thing. At that time, I took a vow that as long as they did not get enough food, I would also not take full quantity of food. I did not express the vow before anybody. After one month, the information came to us that saints sent there were getting their full requirement of food and water, which made the realisation of my vow.
When a person is cognisant of the happiness and unhappiness of others, the phenomenon of selfishness is minimised. Till the feeling is not fully realised that I am not alone', the problem of environment will get increasingly complex.
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