Bhagvana Mahavira

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 80

72
Bhagavan Mahāvīra
self will certainly he happy here and hereafter.
"It is better if one controls oneself through self-restraint and penance. It is not good for one to be governed by others under the threat of imprisonment and death." Mahāvīra never conceived non-violence as separat: from freedom and freedom from self-restraint and penance.
Non-violence and Equality
As soon as man begins to look at the world through the perspective of ahimsa, equality of all souls which is generally veiled is perceived.
Gautama asked Bhagavan Mahavira, "Lord! Are the souls of an elephant and a tiny insect equal?"
Bhagavan Mahāvīra replied, "Yes, Gautama! The souls of an elephant and a tiny insect are equal. The body of an elephant is huge and that of an insect tiny The difference in the size of their bodies does not affect the equality of souls. One who confuses the innate equalities of the souls with their external differences such as bodies, sense-organs, colour and form, caste etc. cannot be a votary of non-violence. A non-violent man is he who finds all souls to be equal in spite of external differences.
One who does not conceive the innate equality of all the souls presumes oneself to be superior to others and others as inferior to oneself or vice versa. He either hates others or thinks himself to be hated by others. He either intimidates others or feels himself being intimidated by others. These complexities of inferiority and superiority create inequality. Where there is inequality, people resort to violence. The principle of equality does not disturb social behaviour. On the contrary, it makes social life smooth and correct. In dayto-day life the more the behaviour is permeated with equality, the more the love is engendered. Love, in its turn, makes social organization run smoothly and reduces violence. We