Ahimsa the Science of Peace

Author(s): Surendra Bothra
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 29

Another malady of our age is general intolerance. While science has been a great boon both in promoting material prosperity and rationalism, it has made our thinking, even in areas other than science, extremely definitive. We learn that two and two can only be four and tend to carry the same certitude into social matters, though they are of a different character. The result is that those who do not agree with us are treated as wrong. Earlier dogmatism was based on ignorance. Now it is caused by certitude arising out of rational thinking. What is not being realised is that knowledge is relative. The faculties that we possess are limited. Even as compared to small creatures, our senses are much less developed. For example, dog may have a far better sense of smell and an eagle may have far more developed eye sight. Even in comparison with such creatures, when our senses are so poor, how can we claim absolute knowledge?
Jainism has its philosophy of Syadvad. It is a sevenfold logic, which replaces certitude with relativity in thinking. According to this principle, one may be right or one may be wrong. Even the opponent may be right. If one acquires this mental attitude, one cannot but be tolerant. In this, there is no place for dogmatism or fanaticism. This is one of the great contributions of Jainism to world thought; its application to personal conduct could make the world a safe place. The present ideological conflicts that we witness today would not be as intense as they are now if this principle could permeate the minds of adversaries.
It is also worth mentioning here that, mistakenly, the negative aspect of Ahimsa has been overemphasised at the expense of its positive form. While non-killing is certainly essential, Ahimsa in its positive form-means reverence for life, which in turn calls for compassion and service. In
AHIMSA: THE SCIENCE OF PEACE XXII