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Jainism as a Religion of Non-violence (Ahimsa Dharma)
GURUDEVA CHITRABHANUJI
The violence we see in the world today is nothing but the projection of minds suffering mostly from ignorance of the self, thus resulting in selfhatred, greed and competitiveness. These dark emotions and negative thoughts in our mental closet do not allow us to experience the nectar of love. Where the philosophy of Jainism helps the mind to develop selfworth and self-awareness which leads us away from hatred and greed. This teaching originated thousands of years ago in pre-historic India and was transmitted by twenty-four exemplary individuals who left the well-worn ruts of thinking to discover the causes and cures of violence, greed, dogmatism and war in the human psyche and thus in the world.
Beginning with Adinatha (Rṣabhadeva) and ending with Mahavira (Vardhamana), who lived from 599-527 B.C. each enlightened master (Jina), rediscovered the immortal laws of life, placing Ahiṁsā (non violence) and Karunā (loving Compassion) first and foremost among them.
Mahavira matured his consciousness during twelve and a half years \by purifying the senses with fasting, purifying speech with silence, and purifying mind with meditation. The insights he shared during the next thirty years were gathered into Agamas (scriptures), where the heart of Jainism has been preserved. In one of the passages, he spoke of Ahimsa in this way:
"Unless we live with non-violence and reverence for all living beings in our hearts, all our humaneness and acts of goodness, all our vows, virtues and knowledge, all our practices to give up greed and acquisitiveness are fruitless."
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