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Jainism and Freedom of Mankind
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attain more, than may be then we could all find the happiness, which has eluded us. Today, we not only have luxuries but our definition of basic necessities has also changed. As we desire more we have become more and more greedy. We have built our skyscrapers on the foundations of greed, and have established our bnusinesses on the foundations of so-called competitiveness. We have generated technology out of the desire to become masters of our own destiny. But we will never have a clear vision of the Truth from a skyscraper, and wealth will not make us masters of our own destiny. By creating this so-called "progress," we have created more long-term problems for ourselves -some of which may take years to solve. Let us see how Jainism helps to find the solution of these problem.
Long back in 6th century B.C. Mahāvīra gave mankind a simple message of non-violence. When Mahāvira spoke of non-violence, he did not just mean absence of violence. He meant by non-violence -- not to commit violence by mind, body and speech. He included taking care in one's speech and actions. Thinking badly about someone, or speaking badly of them are also a forms of violence. Non-violence or "Ahimsā" as it's called by Jainas is the intrinsic nature of the pure soul, the state of perfect equlibrium, unruffled peace, complete equanimity and non-violence.
Mahavira said that violence, the opposite of ahiṁsā is committed by careless behaviour --
"pramattayogāt prāņavyaparopnam hissä." "Where there is carelessness, there always is violence"
The environment can be damaged in the ruthless pursuit of greedy motives. Ahimsā can be broken by carelessly acquiring wealth and by creating an unbalanced and unjust society. Even proclaiming thai your faith alone is right and just faith, is considered an act of "violence." Thus, the definition of Ahimsā is all-encompassing. Mahatma Gandhi absorbed and accepted the idea of ahiṁsā into his own life-style. He recognised that ahimsā is a way of life which when applied collectively can solve global problems. While talking about Ahimsā, Mahatma Gandhi said that injustice, inequality and the careless use of resources are all forms of violence.
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