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

Page 173

160
Mahāvīra and His Relevance
It is needless to say that sɔme of the elements of these principles, more or less, have influenced our nations' foreign policy. As Anekāntavāda accepts truth in other schools of philosophy, accepts their authenticity and gravity, likewise the principle of nonallignment values the policies of other nations, values their sovereignty and independence.
The very process of character-building starts with an individual. Hence, for the strong character of a nation the very first condition is awareness of an individual. Awareness is a must on both the stages of man i.e. spiritual and emperical. Lord Mahāvira proclaims that Jiva is full of both consciousness and unconsciousness This is responsible for Karmaphala. One should, therefore, endeavour to destroy cause of it in order to attain pure consciousness. This is to be activated by getting rid of the evils of the world i.e. sensual pleasures, anger, greediness etc. Hence, Lord Mahāvira gave a slogan Utthie no pamayae i.e. get up, don't be careless.
The carelessness inay be understood to have been responsible for the day-today indiscipline, anarchy and lawlessness among people. When one looses control over his mind, speech and actions, then such dangerous things emerge.
It is necessary to control oneself in order to overcome them. Lord Mahāvira emphasises the purity of character. Defining the character, he said avoiding ill-actions and doing good deeds makes a man good charactered.
Faith, broad outlook and devotion all together makes one good charactered. With a view to this Lord Mahāvira put forward a series of twelve Vratas. One who abides by them faithfully, is a Sramana, an ascetic, and one who abides by them partially is a śrāvaka, a householder. The Vratas have been divided into three classes : Five aņuvratas, three guņavratas and four śikṣāvratas.
By faithfully following the śrāvakāahiṁsā, one achieves vātsalya and maitri, by truthfullness controls his tongue, by nonstealing controls greediness, by celebacy controls sensual desires and by non-attachment gives up hoarding of things.