________________
166
Anekanta : Philosophy of co-existence
that returning the loans involves greater efforts, more business and higher production. Taking loans has now become a source of inspiration, a basis of economic development. This one-sided or exclusive view of economic development totally disregards physical health, mental peace, emotional balance and environmental protection. This absolutistic economic development has made the human mind purely mechanical. Everyone has the inordinate desire to build an economic empire. Anekānta has four main viewpoints : substance, space, time and bhāva (state of the soul). The assessment of anything should be relative to substance, space, time and bhāva. Absolute or unqualified assessment creates a number of problems. It is ironical that the economics of development relegates physical health, mental peace, emotional balance and environmental protection to a secondary position. Increase in consumables through artificial means was deemed necessary because of the increase in population. Economic development was deemed necessary also for removing poverty. Chemical sprays add poison to foods, vegetables and fruits. Despite being aware of this fact people consume these articles. The craving for increasing consumption created by the economic race is, far from reducing poverty, increasing it. Economic wealth is getting more and more confined to a handful of nations and individuals. All this is result of the
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
