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It appears that Bhagavan Mahavir, once he had transcended from contemplation to direct perception during his spiritual endeavour, realized that he lived within a dynamic system. He found that his soul and body both were dynamic. He looked around and found that everything he set his eye to was, once again, intrinsically dynamic. He paused at anything that appeared static and, after a more penetrating look, he found that this, too, was dynamic. Once he established that the only thing static in this universe was death or extinction of the form under consideration, he set about to frame codes of how best to live in such extensively dynamic system.
Fundamentally, this universe is dynamic. Irrespective of whether it is an expanding or a collapsing one, whether it started with the big bang or otherwise, its existence as we see it is the consequence of dynamism in sustaining balance. Thus, in this system the concept of stasis is relative. Relative to a more dynamic thing, a less dynamic thing is static, although within itself it is dynamic.
Life is dynamic and death is static. These two are apparently opposing concepts, but inseparable. To be either completely dynamic or static is impossible. No matter from what angle, level, or context we look at nature, we will find that balance is the ultimate and all-pervasive activity in nature.
In the process of analysis, Mahavir used a microscopic splitting of things and processes, and studying each in its own firmament. However, it appears that when it came to evolving a way of life based on his findings and leading to peace, beatitude and ultimate bliss, he took into consideration the overall or holistic view of the universe in its state of dynamic balance.
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AHIMSA: THE SCIENCE OF PEACE Jain Education International
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