Bhagavana Mahavira and his Relevance in Modern Times

Author(s): Narendra Bhanavat, Prem Suman Jain, V P Bhatt
Publisher: Akhil Bharat Varshiya Sadhumargi Jain Sangh

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Mahāvira and His Relevance
conduct. All these three yoked together result in the perfection of human personality. A group of such personalities create the core of cultural society, which indeed constructs an awakened and enlightened Nation. This type of planning is a pre-requisite of emotional and national integration. Dedication and devotion to duty-at all levels result in solidarity. Lord Mahāvīra by his keen foresight paved the way which India needs most in modern times. He realised that “philosophy is not only an 'idealist view of life' but a 'practical way of life'. This scientific system has well stood the test of time.
(6) Mahāvira established monastic institutions which prepared devoted missionaries, who set the standard of public conduct. They in return propagated the ideas and ideals in remote corners of this vast continent. Many cultural centres, seats of learning, temples, chaityas, caves, community centres and spiritual memorials were erected, which with passage of time became tourist, spots. The initiated disciples cautiously preserved the rich literary and cultural heritage of the age for posterity. Public welfare was carefully attended to. To foster fraternal relations community life was resorted to, as community centres for prayers, feeding, fasts and festivals. All the energies of the nation were harnessed to rejuvinate the vital forces of solidarity. Artists, architects, poets and critics lent their support to bring out the cultural synthesis of India. A living contact with all sections of society, with all social groups and economic classes was incessantly maintained from a rural threshold to royal palaces. As such, a genuine spirit of oneness, equality, co-workmanship pervaded the atmosphere.
(7) The extraordinary and originally novel contribution of Lord Mahāvira is the philosophic doctrine of Syadvada or Anekantavada which serves as the basis of Jainism. But for this all pervasive, all-inclusive scientific attitude towards life, Jainism would not have won the admiration of the intellectual sections of human society. It has been rightly observed - “It is not exaggeration to say that Ahimsā and Anekānta are the greatest contributions of Jainism to world thought in general and Indian thought in particular.” Anekānta is the scientific attitude of man to keep his mind open to receive multiple suggestions to solve a given problem. Each suggestion is an expression of partial truth and all different angles of vision put consistently together present a complete picture of the problem.