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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Lord Mahavira and National Character
cannot be sustained. Hoarding should be abandoned in order to make it available for others (i.e. needy persons), and the received things should be used for the welfare of poor persons. Lord Mahavira explicitly proclaimed Asamvibhagi na hu tassa mokkho : i.e. one who is of the nature of hoarding and does not give away things what he has in abundance never gets liberation.
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What Lord Mahavira gave expression to his thoughts in those days in regard to the abstinence from parigraha and hoarding holds good today also. When the developed and the developing countries of the world will set up certain principles with regard to export and import of goods, then only peace in the world will be possible. Mahavira proclaimed: Parasparopagraho jivānāṁ i.e. real life is that which is dedicated to the help of poor persons.
The strong development of national character is out and out based on national unity. In nation like India national unity is safe only when equal importance and respect will be given to all religions, customs, languages, styles of upāsanās etc. The root cause of conflict, anarchy are abstinacy (i.e. duragraha) and onesidedness. When one tries to understand another's view-point he becomes liberal and Suhṛdaya.
Lord Mahavira propounded and propagated that truth is He manysided. Every thing has got more than one aspect. thereby wanted to bring about harmony among people. It was stated that one should not insist that this or that thing is essentially such and such. Such narrowminded statements are bound to lead to conflict and controversy. If all the aspects of a thing are perceived and examined carefully then truth will be found and conflict will be avoided. This thought of Lord Mahavira paves the way for right direction. The very essence of it is this that no principle of any philosophical school is absolutely right or wrong. One should, therefore, not stick to any particular principle. Opponent's principles may also be right. Hence, they are to be respected if not accepted. A person can not master everything, nor he can know each and every thing. There is no way which can lead one to know everything absolutely. One cannot perceive all the aspects of all the things. So the ways shown by others should be considered as reliable as
ours own ways are.