Jainism in a Global Perspective - Collection of Jain papers of 1993 Parliament of World Religions, Chicago

SR No.: 014010
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain, Shreeprakash Pandey
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1998
Total Pages: 402
Language: English
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 23 MB

Page 118

Jaina Religon -- Universal Relevance in the Contemporary World
89
Mahatma Gandhi was from his childhood deeply influenced by the Jaina culture of Non-violence, India's non-violent struggle for independence from British colonial rule stands out as a striking example of the successful and effective application of the instrument of non-violence in the political arena. Likewise Mahatma Gandhi's disciple Vinoba Bhave tried it out in the field of land reforms through his Bhūdāna (Land gift) movement. He persuaded hundreds and thousands of landlords to voluntarily and freely distribute lands to the landless and give up the path of violent and vicious exploitation.
The first half of the twentieth century has been witnessed two world wars. The second half has been witnessed to Hiroshima, to the phenomenal increase in nuclear arsenal of unimaginable destructive potential, and to a large number of local and regional wars and conflits. In the last decade frightening growth of terrorism and the intensity of the cult of violence all over the world has been very disturbing and bodes ill for the future.
It is wrong to expect that the answer to violence is more violence. Far from solving a problem, it creates increasingly unnerving situation, In this dismal scenario, Gandhi's successful experiment of truth and nonviolent passive resistance against the then mighty british empire stands out comprehensive perspective on non-violence as propogated by Jaina philosophy has an abiding relevance in the furthering of the civilising values and traditions of the humanity.
Non-violence must be recognised and used as a potent instrument to safegurad political morality and social transformation, promote both human rights as well as animal rights and to ensure equality and justice through persuasive methods. without non-violent behaviour, all these modern concepts would bocome devoid of any meaning and content. Exploitation-mental and physical, political and economic, social and racial would continue. Violence as an easy option would sharpen its cutting edges ever more. Non-violent conduct alone can prevent in a durable manner the current universal drift towards crisis, confusion and chaos.
Teachings and practices of Jainism have a lot of relevance in persuading individuals and groups to shed "the violent egocomplex', and the temptation to assert authority or suppress or oppress others through sheer violence and brutal force.