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 194

Jaina Concept of Peace
165
that defensive and just wars may have to be undertaken without giving up maitri (friendliness) and karuņā (compassion) for people of both the sides."22
It is true that in our times Gandhi planned a non-violent method of opposition and applied it successfully. But it is not possible for all to oppose non-violently with success. Only a man, unattached to his body and material objects and with heart free from malice, can protect his rights non-violently. Again, such efforts can bear fruits only in a civilized and cultured human society. A non-violent opposition may be fruitful only if ranged against an enemy, having a human heart. Its success becomes dubitable if it has to deal with an enemy having no faith in human values and is bent upon serving his selfish motives by violent means.
As far as occupational violence and the violence, taking place in routine-activities of the life, is concerned everyone cannot shake it off. For, so long as a person has to earn his livelihood and to seek fu of his physical needs, deliberate violence of vegitable kingdom is unavoidable. In Jainism, intentional violence to mobile animals by a house-holder has been forbidden even when it becomes necessary for the maintenance of life and occupation. So far as the violence takes place in defensive activities and wars, Jainas hold, that it should be minimised as for as it is possible and innocent persons should not be killed at any cost. Jaina thinkers suggested various methods for non-violent wars and to minimise the violence in even just wars. The war, fought between Bharata and Bāhubali was an example of non-violent war.
Though some or other form of violence is inevitable in our life yet we should not conclude that the observance of non-violence is of no use at present. Just as violence is inevitable for living, non-violence is also inevitable for the very existence of human race. So far as the existence of human society is concerned it depends on mutual co-operation, sacrifice of one's interest for that of his fellow-beings and regard for others' life. If above mentioned elements are essential for our social life, how can we say that non-violence is not necessary for human life. Society does not stand on violence but on non-violence, not on claiming our rights but on accepting the rights of others as our duty. Thus, the non-violence, is an inevitable principle for the existence of human society. At present we are