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ditions are breeding grounds for many other problems, including the increase in diseases, new and old, in spite of the rapid developments in the field of health sciences. There are no simple solutions to these problems. However, ahimsa, put into practice as a way of life, provides a progressive solution to such problems. It does so by tempering and diluting undesirable or dangerous social attitudes.
As already discussed, Ahimsa as evolved by Mahavir is infinitely wider than the word's simple meaning. He made a single point explode in all directions, breaking the limits of a concept or a doctrine and turning it into a universally applicable principle. It evolved into such a dynamic principle that it does not change fundamentally when shifting from one area to another. It is a way of life covering every facet of life from the mundane to the spiritual and from the least evolved to the most evolved. If worked out properly and earnestly, it can provide solutions to a wide range of problems almost at every level. It does not act like a medicine that attacks a disease; rather, it acts like nourishment that improves the overall health of the body and gives it the strength and resistance to prevent and fight diseases in general.
Because of space restrictions, we shall confine our discussion to the two gravest problems in this context, those of terrorism and environmental degradation. Much has been said and written about political, religious, social and individual causes and ramifications of terrorism as well as environmental degradation. We shall not go into the details of every individual field, but instead look briefly into root causes and proceed to speculate about how the ahimsa way of life can be effectively utilized in that context.
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AHIMSA: THE SCIENCE OF PEACE Jain Education International
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