Ahimsa the Ultimate Winner

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

Page 90

because humans have mercilessly exploited the environment, devastated and depleted it, disturbed the nature's balance and brought Mother Earth to the brink of disaster.
Jain ecological perception views evolution and growth of life in all its splendor and variety on this planet of ours. It is a democratic concept pinning its faith in the equality of souls irrespective of differing forms of living creatures ranging from humans to animals, insects, plants and even the miniscule living organisms. Jain religion prohibits destruction of earth's life support system, which provides for balanced and mutually supportive relationship between all life forms and nature.
Over a century ago, the great thinker TH Huxley echoed this very approach when he wrote:
"The question of all questions for humanity is the determination of man's place in nature and his relation to the cosmos. Whence our race came, what sort of limits are set to our power over nature and to nature's power over us to what goals are we striving, are the problems which present themselves afresh with undiminished interest to every human being born on earth."
Jainism answers the eternal question for today and tomorrow by clearly identifying the responsibility of humans, the most superior and advanced among living creatures. The identification of the obligation has both spiritual connotations as well as realistic and practical implication in day-to-day life.
Further more Jainism has ingrained in it a continuous search of fulfillment of this responsibility taking into account that nature and other living beings also in their turn fulfill their responsibilities and do a lot of good to humans - be it the sun and the moon, the soil and the vegetation, the forests, rivers and oceans, animals and other living creatures. It is indeed the reason why Hindus regard cow as a "Sacred Animal" and many Jain temples have in their precincts bird clinics.
Ahimsa: The Ultimate Winner
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