Ahimsa the Ultimate Winner

Author(s): N P Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 75

Bhagavan Mahavir's memorable teaching is:
"One who has got victory Over oneself Is greater than one who conquers Thousands of warriors in a battle."
The essence of Mahavir's teaching was that while we crave for satisfying the needs of our body like hunger, but become totally oblivious to satisfy hunger of our soul. It is necessary to look within oneself in order to understand the purpose of our existence.
II
The second pillar of the Jain art of living is that an individual cannot be a fortress unto himself / herself. Even for his own salvation he has to discharge his responsibilities towards others as a responsible, morally upright and ethically charged social being. He is a part and parcel of the natural environment around him. Bhagavan Mahavir put it very aptly over 2500 years ago:
“One who disregards the existence of earth, water, fire, air and vegetation disregards one's own existence
which is entwined with them."
The guiding principle in relationship with other human beings as well as other living beings is “Parasparopgraho Jeevanam”. This means that all living organisms irrespective of the degree of their sensory perceptions or size are bound together by mutual support and interdependence. Jainism, thus, emerges as a democratic and spiritually socialist creed pinning its faith in the sanctity, integrity and equality of all souls whether in humans, animals, plants or insects.
Bhagavan Mahavir has put it very aptly
'To kill of hurt any living being amounts to killing or hurting oneself, Compassion to others is compassion to one's own self.
Ahimsa: The Ultimate Winner
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