________________
INTROSPECTION AND CLARIFICATIONS
113
to be added. As new articles of consumption become available, character also develops along with it. This partial truth, a partial concept, has vitiated the character of people and eroded human values to such an extent that even those who defined development in those terms have started thinking anew. Among Marxist thinkers also, two schools of thought have come up, which is primarily because of the prevailing concept of development. A point has been reached when thinking about development will have to be done afresh. When economic concepts are formulated on the basis of experience of, and inspiration from, values of good character, the real potential of development can be conceived and achieved.
Question: Do the economic concepts of Mahavira lean towards capitalism or towards Communism?
Answer: Mahavira's point of view is a relative point of view. If we read his theories, it would be more appropriate to style them as a decentralised economic system rather than socialistic. As Communism and capitalism both follow centralised economic strategy, they are not consistent with Mahavira's philosophy. Away from the two systems, Mahavira's thinking blossoms in a decentralised economic system.
Question: On the one hand, we talk of nature and it is said that life maintains itself on life. On the other hand, we talk about non-violence. Why this mutual contradiction?
Answer: Our difficulty is that we do not see things from the point of view of reality. That life sustains on life is a relative principle. Life sustains on life is applicable to the fish in the sea. There, one form of life is the food for another form of life. This principle is applicable to wild animals and ferocious beasts, and not to man. While it is true that big fish eats the small fish, it is maintained that such a concept should not be applied to man. To do so would be to apply an acquatic type of justice. The principle is for those creatures which do not have any other option. Man's glandular and nervous mechanisms are so much developed that they can bring about a big change. For them this rule does not apply. .
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
