Ahimsa Crisis You Decide

Author(s): Sulekh C Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 12

Publishers Note
Though modern civilization is characterized by a concern for fellow human beings, the foremost problem of our age is growing violence, both in thought and action. Fast evolving fields of communication and transportation have turned the world into a village. A child in Europe may have sympathy and extend help to one of his ilk in Africa. But juxtaposed is the spread of violence at individual, national and international levels, on scales, which are unprecedented. Terrorism is becoming common place and, ironically enough, respectable at some places. With religion getting separated from, and spreading commercialization getting assimilated in daily life, we see that in the present day world killing has increased many-fold and sensitivity to life, whether animal or human, has declined in proportion. The need, therefore, is that this trend should be reversed and man should be made more humane not only in relation to man but also to other living creatures. However, one of the major problems with many of the protest groups, trying to fight against violence at national and international levels, is that personally they are not non-violent. True and effective remedy to violence could be found with personal commitment to Ahimsa inspiring personal transformation of individual, thereby creating islands of peace. Though included in almost all religions, the doctrine of Ahimsa has been developed by Jainism to its perfection. Furthermore, its practical aspect has also been dealt with in great detail to attain maximum efficiency. So much so that in absence of continued practice Ahimsa has no value in Jainism. As the vehicle for effective implementation of their Ahimsa doctrine Jainism devised the theory of Syadvad based on the principle of Anekantvad (non-absolutism), another great contribution to world thought. While science has been a great boon both in promoting material prosperity and rationalism, it has made our thinking, even in
An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide