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 99

SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
JAIN ETHICS
Essence of Jain ethics provides the best raison d'etre for Mahavira's relevance in our times. Melvin Radar in his book 'Ethics and Human Community' holds in opposition to the relativist, subjective, intuitional and a priori theories that ethics should be based upon human nature and its potentialities. 1 He finds expression of man's deliberate attempt to make himself at home in the universe 'through religious sense of community' which enables him "to escape from his loneliness and self-alineation' in the ancient Egyption religion, in the Confucian doctrine of humanheartedness and universal kindness; the Taoist sense of mystic unity with nature; the Buddhist emancipation from selfhood' the Hindu vision of all-encompassing, all-penetrating spirit; the Moslem idea of One God One Humanity; the Hebraic devotion to a God of love and justice; and the Christian fellowship of all men in God."2
R. C. Dwivedi
Moral aphorisms of all religions, including Jainism, confirm their community-mindedness. Religion that ignores society has no chance of survival. 3 Ethical ideals of universal love and brotherhood, Ahimsa, charity, simplicity, chastity, truthfulness and non-attachment to worldly interests and gains are extolled in all religions. There may be some difference of emphasis on these ideals in one or the other religion but none preaches hatred, malice, pride, prejudice, passion, exploitation of fellow human beings or disrespect of life in all its varied and various forms. And if religion is not to be mistaken for dogma or ritual which sometimes sanctioned intolerance and disrespect for life, it can be affirmed without fear of contradiction that religion is no antithesis to humanism, social development, univer