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Jaina Religon -- Universal Relevance in the Contemporary World
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an instrument of social transformation, cultural reformation and moral rearmament.
The courage of non-violence is the most outstanding contribution of Jaina philosophy to the world. Non-violence has often been looked upon as cowardice or escapism largely because the habit or culture of violence has spread in the social fabric like a contagious disease.
Ecological Consciousness
The concept of ecology is enshrined in the Jaina motto of parasparopagraho jīvānam which means that all living organisms, howsoever big or small, irrespective of the degree of their sensory perceptions, are bound together by mutual support and interdependance. They are and should remain in a harmonious and judicious balance with nature. The world is in peril today because humans have mercilessly exploited the environment devasted and depleted it, disturbed the nature's balance and brought Mother earth to the brink of disaster.
Jaina philosophy regards non-violence and ecological harmony as two sides of the same coin. 2500 years ago Lord Mahāvīra preached :
"One who disregards the existence of the earth, water, fire, air and vegetation, disregards one's own existence which is entwined with them."
Jaina ecological perception views evolution and growth of life in all its splendour and variety on this planet of ours. It is a democratic concept pinning its faith in the equality of souls irrespective of differing forms of living creatures ranging from humans to animals, insects, plants andeven the miniscule living organisms. Jaina religion prohibits destruction of earth's life support system which provides for balanced and mutually supportive relationship between all life forms and nature.
Over a century ago, the great thinker T.H.Huxley echoed this very approach when he wrote:
"The question of all questions for humanity is the determination of man's place in nature and his relation to the cosmos. Whence our race come, what sort of limits are set to our power over nature and nature's power, over us to what goals are we striving, are the problems which present themselves
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| SR No. | 014010 |
| Book Title | Jainism in a Global Perspective - Collection of Jain papers of 1993 Parliament of World Religions, Chicago |
| 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 |