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Dignity of man in Jainism
by Dr B.R. Dugar
The central themes of Jain Philosophy are non-violence, non-absolutism and non-possession. Nonviolence being the core - principle, all other virtues emerged out of it and strengthens autonomy of life of every being. Non-absolutism strengthens the thought of every being and non-possession strengthens the interdependence of all existence.
If you feel that every soul is autonomous, you will never trample on its right to live. If you feel that every person is a thinking person, you will not trample on her or his thoughts. If you feel that you owe nothing and no one, you will not trample and exploit the planet or your neighbour. These are the values that can care the dignity of a man and can save humanity as well from deadly acts of war, economic exploitation and environmental destruction.
A significant contribution of Jain philosophy is that it recognises the dignity of all living beings and not of human dignity alone. Non-duality of the self and the other living beings has been explained in the Ācārānga Sūtra (5.100)
You are indeed he whom, you intend to hurt. You are indeed he who, you intend to govern. You are indeed he who, you intend to torture. You are indeed he who, you intend to enslave. You are indeed he who, you intend to kill.
It is also mentioned in Dasaveāliyam Sūtra (4.9) that he who treats living being as self and view-them with equanimity...escapes from the bondage of evil deeds.
TEHT ESTI 31001 - 594, 2005
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